


Rhiannon's Gambit

by Xenobia



Series: Modern Wyndrah [5]
Category: Original - Fandom, Wyndrah - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Original Series, Wyndrah
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-01
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-03-15 20:03:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 81,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3460217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xenobia/pseuds/Xenobia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rhiannon falls into a relationship with a pirate. She finds herself trying to balance her needs vs. her desires and she wonders if she can survive loving a man she knows to be an outlaw. Takes place during "Domino Effect". Het, graphic violence.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Copyright © C.R. Bostic, 2013, 2014, 2015  
> I've always liked Rhiannon (she was named after a favorite song by Fleetwood Mac) and I've been wanting to expand on her character for some time. While I'm generally a yaoi/slash author I do enjoy some het now and then. I find different aspects of female power enthralling, and Rhiannon is the perfect example for me to play with. Beware, there are triggering aspects of this story involving domestic abuse.

Rhiannon's Gambit

Chapter 1

**_Copyright © C.R. Bostic, 2013, 2014_ **

 

 

* * *

 

Her life had changed so much in the past four years. Since breaking away from her abusive ex boyfriend and learning to live on her own two feet, Rhiannon had changed her career, gotten her own place, had a one-night-stand with some pirate that came into town and bought her own car. She later had kind of a second-night-stand with the same pirate, when he happened to come back into town and take up room and board at the same place she was living in. She still kept in touch with Trinity and Auric, as well as Haden and Glaive, on occasion. The former two went out with her a couple times a month, when everyone's schedules allowed for it.

 

Trinity had finally stopped asking her why in the hells she'd chosen to go from being a hair and makeup artist to working in the health and beauty section of a department store. It certainly wasn't as glamorous a job and it didn't pay quite as much as her old one had, but she'd found that without Chip garnishing her wages for himself, she still had more money than she'd ever had before. She made enough to get by and even stash some away into savings, and that was all she really needed. Trin accused her of having no ambition, but the simple truth was that Rhiannon just didn't know what she wanted to do with the rest of her life yet. Why shoot for some random goal before you were sure it was what you wanted? At the age of twenty-six, she was still young and she had plenty of time to sort out her dreams and go after them. 

Rhiannon was stretching her wings and visiting an experimental stage in her life. Sex without commitment, a new line of work—though it entailed a lot of the same things as before, living alone…it was all new to her. Not that she went around sleeping with any stranger that took her fancy; her pirate friend was the only man she'd been with since Chip. It was fresh and exciting and very fun, and both times he'd gone on his way without making any demands of her other than an exchange of emails and phone numbers. 

Her friends of course would probably be shocked if they'd learned of her little trysts, and she could just imagine the lectures she'd get from Trin for having relations with a criminal. 

_"Don't you ever learn, you stupid girl? After dating that pig, I would think you'd be more selective!"  
_

Nope, Trinity wouldn't approve at all. Auric would probably be thrilled for her, though. Being his hopeless romantic self, he'd probably want to meet the guy and thank him for giving her orgasms. The thought made her giggle as she stepped out of the shower and prepared to style her hair and dress for the day. What would she do without her flamboyant, enthusiastic blond friend? Or without the dark, beautiful female lashran she'd so unlikely befriended, for that matter? They were both her rock, and whether they understood her life choices or not, they'd played a big role in helping her make them…giving her the strength she needed to come out of her shell and learn to truly _live_.

 Now donning a robe and a towel wrapped around her head, the petite young woman walked out of her bathroom and into the main room of her flat. She was living in the Jolly Whistler Inn, by the docks of Valkyrie Falls. It was one of the oldest buildings in the city, and it had once been just a tavern commonly frequented by sailors passing through. Since then it had been built upon and expanded to include four additional floors. The first two were for temporary occupants, renting by the day or week. The top two floors were for residents only; those who took out a lease for a year or more. Not many people chose to do that, so two of the six residential suites were still empty. The layout of her living space was simple; her living room also served as her bedroom, and the only other rooms in the flat were the kitchen, the small dining room and the bathroom. 

Rhiannon clicked on her small bedside radio in passing as she sidled up to her vanity and sat down to start doing her makeup. Being a specialist at such things, she knew how to enhance her features while still maintaining a natural look, and she opened her makeup drawer to begin selecting powders, base, shadows and lipstick. Clicking on the light-up mirror, she hummed to the tune that was playing and she got started. She had the weekend off, and though her friends couldn't make time on their schedule to go do something with her, she still had the feeling it was going to be a good weekend.  

* * *

 

"Morning, Dennis," called Rhiannon with a smile as she descended the last flight of stairs. That was the one disadvantage to living in this place: no elevators. It didn't really bother her though, because four short flights of stairs wasn't too much and it gave her a bit of exercise when she came and went. 

The elderly janitor smiled and waved at her, always happy to see the chipper redhead. "It's more like noon, sweetheart. Don't use the ladies room in the tavern for about ten minutes, you hear? I just mopped and we don't need you to slip and fall again."

Rhiannon chuckled. Leave it to her to forget to pee on her way out to work in the morning and end up hurting herself on an emergency pit stop downstairs. "I took care of my business upstairs this time, thanks. See you later!" 

She waved at him in passing as she passed through the hall into the common room of the tavern. Kylie was tending the bar this morning, and she gave her a grin and a wave as she saw Rhiannon approaching. 

"Hey girl…I was wondering when you'd join the living." 

Rhiannon stopped and plopped down on a stool, setting her small purse on the solid cherry wood surface of the antique bar. "Hey, when I have a day off, I take advantage and sleep in!" She glanced around, noticing how busy it was for a Saturday morning. "Did a new ship come in last night or something?" 

Kylie shook her blond head, green eyes flicking to one of the groups of men and women sitting at a table. "Nope. This morning. They've been raising hell since they got here, too. I'll be glad when they finally have their fill and retire to the rooms they've rented." 

Rhiannon shrugged. "Well, at least they won't be making a lot of noise while I'm still trying to sleep above them. So what are you doing later on?" 

Kylie sighed. "Working, still. I stupidly took a double shift so I could earn a little extra cash for the sea carnival, when it makes port next month. You going?" 

"I don't think so," sighed Rhiannon. "I always get seasick when I try. I'll take my carnivals on dry land, thanks." 

Kylie chuckled. "Landlubber. So, do you want one of your spicy Bloody Mary's before you set out for the day?" 

Rhiannon thought about it. She usually reserved the cocktail for the aftermath of a night spent partying too hard—which didn't really happen often, in spite of her lifestyle changes. She shrugged. "Sure. A little pick-me-up might do me some good." 

"Right on." The barmaid began to prepare the drink for her. "So where are you heading today?" 

"I don't know yet," admitted Rhiannon with a smirk, "but it's going to be somewhere fun. Maybe I'll drop by the studio and pester my old coworkers and boss a little. If I get there soon enough, I might catch them for lunch." 

Kylie nodded. "Seems you guys are a pretty close-knit circle." As she bent over to retrieve the drink mix from under the bar, her boosted cleavage drew Rhiannon's eye and the redhead glanced down at her own rather small rack with a little frown, before looking at the top of Kylies straining white bosom. The barmaid straightened up again and as she poured some of the mix into the tall cocktail glass, she noticed Rhiannon's stare and she grinned. 

"Looking's free. Touching will cost you." 

Rhiannon flushed pink and giggled. "Sorry, I didn't mean to ogle them. They're just…right there, you know?" 

Kylie winked playfully and dashed some brown sauce into the mix, followed by a few shakes of cayenne pepper. "Everyone looks, sweetheart. That's the beauty of corsets." 

"Or the beauty of having big boobs," sighed Rhiannon with a rueful smirk down at the green peasant blouse she'd chosen to wear for the day. It wasn't the sort of attire she'd have chosen years ago, but she'd gained an appreciation for the style since coming to live at the Jolly Whistler. 

"Your boobs are fine," insisted Kylie. "On your frame, anything much bigger would make you too top heavy and you'd fall over. Don't get any stupid ideas about having them enhanced, darlin'." 

"Oh, I'm too chicken for that anyway," assured Rhiannon. She thanked Kylie as the barmaid finished making her drink and slid it to her. "I don't think I could go through with enhancement surgery unless I got cancer or something and had to have my natural ones removed. Sometimes I just wish they were a little bigger." 

"And I wish I had beautiful curly hair like yours," pointed out Kylie. "Jill wishes she had your lips and ass. The thing about us girls is we're never taught to just appreciate the way we're made, right? We're told from the beginning it's not enough, and we always have to look our best. I've only ever met one chick that was totally happy with her looks and body in my life, and she was a pirate."

 Rhiannon chuckled into her drink. "Maybe we should take up pirating then…that is, if I can get over the seasickness." 

She started to take a drink, and that was when she heard a very familiar, very distinctive laugh from the other side of the common room. She nearly choked on her Bloody Mary at the sound, and she started to look across the bar to the other side of the room immediately. Sure enough, she spotted the owner of that laugh sitting at a table, with his tricorn, feathered hat resting on the surface of it and his brown, collar-length hair feathering loosely over his forehead. From this distance she couldn't see the strands of silver-gray blending in with the rich brown, and she felt unreasonably disappointed by the thought of him dying it to hide them. She _liked_ those little threads of silver. His facial hair was as she remembered it though, with a bit more gray in the half inch deep beard and mustache growth. 

"Oh crap," she whispered as Tristan Hunter threw his head back and laughed again at something one of his companions said. His teeth were still straight and white and his smile was as infectious and charming as she remembered it. Two silver hoops flashed in the lobe of his visible ear.

 "What's the matter, hun?" 

Rhiannon looked at Kylie, and she struggled to come up with some excuse for her outburst without giving away the fact that the rogue laughing so uproariously at the table had rocked her world twice in the past two years. What was he _doing_ there? Last time he'd sent her an email letting her know he was coming back into town. 

"Is that man…Captain Hunter?" she finally asked with a nod at the person she knew the identity of very well. 

Kylie looked, and she smiled. "Yeah. So you've heard of him? He's such a character…had me laughing so hard all morning. He's pretty foxy, too." 

Rhiannon resisted a sigh. Yes, she knew he was a hoot and there was no denying he was foxy…even if he was fourteen years her senior and nearly old enough to be her father. The man had a young spirit and she'd already gotten herself in trouble with him twice before, despite having vowed not to let it happen again after the first time. Kylie wasn't around at the time when it all happened and Rhiannon was discreet enough about it not to give anyone fuel for rumors, so the blond clearly had no idea anything had happened between them…yet. 

The problem was that Tristan wasn't the subtlest person in the world. 

"Ooh, look at you," observed Kylie with a grin. "Could there be a pirate captain on Rhiannon's menu for the weekend?" 

Mortified that she'd been caught staring, the smaller woman did her best to brush it off. "I just heard he was Ocathian. It surprised me to see an Avran." 

_~Well, it's better than saying I heard he was dead, I guess.~_

"You know what? I forgot something in my flat," excused Rhiannon, illogically desperate now to get out of the tavern before he saw her. "I'll be back!" 

"Okay. Want me to put your drink in the cooler while you're gone?" 

"Yeah, that'd be great," agreed the redhead hastily. "I'll pay for it when I come back down, too!" 

Without another word, Rhiannon made her way to the hall and the staircase. She almost ran over one of her fellow residents on her way up to the fourth floor and she blurted a hasty apology to him in passing. Once she made it into her suite, she locked the door behind her and leaned up against it, catching her breath. 

"Okay girl, just chill," she advised herself breathlessly. "What was _that_ reaction for, anyway? You knew Valkyrie Falls was one of his main ports to make berth in, so why are you freaking out?" 

She chewed her lower lip and she dug her phone out of her purse, just as annoyed with him as she was with herself. Yes, she knew he came to her city at least once a year in his travels and he'd never pressured her for anything, but he was supposed to _warn_ her! She turned her phone on and she started to go through her contact list—for what purpose, she didn't know. What was she going to do, text him and chastise him? He'd know she'd seen him. 

"Oh." Rhiannon blinked at the screen of her mobile phone, suddenly realizing that she'd already received a text from the man in question. "What on Wyndrah? How…" 

She opened the message up and she saw that it was sent just after four in the morning. She'd been asleep, of course, and it had totally slipped her mind to check her messages before heading out for the day. Evidently he _had_ tried to let her know he was coming. 

_"Hey cutie patootie,"_ read the message, _"Just off the coast from you and heading your way now. Don't know what your plans are this weekend, but I'd love to sign up for a little Rhia time. Let me know, k? – T.H."  
_

Rhiannon started to groan, but a smile of rueful excitement curved her lips, as well. "'Cutie patootie'," she repeated with a shake of her head. "Where does he come _up_ with this stuff?" 

She stared at the message for a moment, trying to gather her wits. It was like fate just deliberately opened up her weekend. She could take it as a sign that she was meant to spend it with him, but the domestic violence survivor in her cringed a little. It wasn't really a relationship though…just fun between two people that happened to meet and befriend each other, right? Her thoughts went to past encounters with him and she blushed, revising that thought to _lots_ and _lots_ of fun. Tristan did things to her that Chip had never done. 

"I can't believe I'm doing this," she muttered, even as she began to text back a response. She sent it without even thinking and she immediately wished she hadn't. "No! I didn't mean to say that!" 

But it was too late. She'd sent: _"Saw you downstairs a minute ago and I ran."  
_

The redhead groaned and tilted her head back against the door. "Good one, Rhia. That's real smooth!" 

Her phone vibrated before she could come up with something to add that might make it sound a little better, and she looked down at it and groaned again. 

_"Why run? Do I smell that bad?"  
_

She blurted a nervous giggle and sighed, before answering. _"Did not see your earlier text and was surprised to see you. Just saw it now. Sorry."  
_

She grimaced and sent it, feeling like an utter boob. "Why would he want to spend time with me, again?" 

Seconds later, the phone buzzed again with his response. 

_"I don't bite unless you want me too. Come down and say hi, beautiful."  
_

Rhiannon struggled with herself. She did want to talk to him again. He was funny and charming and he could be really sweet. She just didn't know if it was a good idea because he was also quite flirty, and she had the sneaking suspicion that the more she hung out with him, the greater the chance that they'd end up in bed together again. It always took her a little while to loosen up and stop instinctively flinching when he touched her, too. She'd never told him about her last relationship, but she wasn't deluded enough to think he hadn't picked up on it. 

Slowly, she began to text back once more. _"Okay, be right down. Sorry for not saying hi."  
_

* * *

 

Her stomach was full of excited butterflies as she stepped down off the last flight of stairs and once again walked into the common room. Kylie had her back turned to her, and Tristan was at the bar ordering something from her. By the way the blond's shoulders shook, he must have just said something amusing. His hazel eyes flicked to Rhiannon as she came forward, and they roved over her with appreciation. He flashed one of those unrestrained smiles at her and he winked, gesturing at the barstool next to him. 

"Oh boy…and I told her I didn't know him," muttered Rhiannon in regards to the barmaid. Well, poop. This was what happened when people lied. It only caused trouble. Maybe she could pass it off as him just kindly inviting her to have a seat or something. Swallowing her nervousness, she walked around the bar to where he was and she had a seat beside him. 

"Rhiannon, there you are!" Kylie immediately retrieved her forgotten Bloody Mary from the cooler, and she set it down before her. "Doesn't take this guy long to reel in pretty girls, does it? You're lucky, Captain Hunter; Rhiannon doesn't usually accept invitations from guys she doesn't know."

 "Mm-hmm," he agreed, propping his whiskered chin in his hand. "I agree, I'm really lucky. Pretty name for a pretty girl, too." 

"Well, I didn't want to be rude," excused Rhiannon with another blush, relieved that Kylie didn't seem to have figured it out yet. She started to reach for her money to pay for the drink, watching Tristan from the corner of her eye as she did so. He hadn't dyed his hair. The sparse smattering of silver strands were still there, thicker at the temples. That pleased her. 

"It's on me," said Tristan as she started to count out the currency. He patted the top of her hand to stop her from setting it on the bar. "Put that away, pretty lady." 

Rhiannon's body reacted in two different ways, conflicted. The touch of a man's big hand so suddenly on hers made her want to recoil, while at the same time, she wanted to take his hand and squeeze it. She sighed, having gotten used to her bipolar feelings about the opposite sex—or at least the men she liked. She never had this problem with Auric or Haden or Glaive or Mel, but she wasn't attracted to them, either. 

"Um, thank you," she offered shyly, and she replaced the money and took a sip of her beverage. Kylie had made it just spicy enough this time, and she took another swallow. "So, you blew in kind of suddenly. Where are you from?" 

"All over," he answered, thankfully picking up on the fact that she didn't want their past ventures advertised right now. His gaze was caressing on her, nonetheless. "The places I've been could fill a book." 

Rhiannon nodded, sipping more of her drink and making herself meet his eyes. He looked good...damned good. She had to give the Wayfarers credit; they rocked the old fashioned pirate garb. They always looked like they'd stepped out of an earlier time period, until they withdrew an electronic device or displayed their modern guns. Some of them dressed more modern, but he wasn't one of them. Tristan was wearing a pair of brown pants with calf-length seafarer boots, a matching vest and a cream colored, lace-up shirt with puffy long sleeves. He smelled good, too. She'd forgotten the scent of his aftershave, which blended well with the smell of the ocean that clung to him. 

"Well, where were you most recently?" She couldn't help an answering smile as he grinned at her. 

Tristan shrugged and took the glass of ale given to him by the barmaid. "Last landfall we saw was in Zarn. There was a call to arms against the Rippers there, to free up one of the harbors. From what I hear they started making trouble again after my ship sailed out." 

"Oh, I've been hearing about that on the news," gasped Rhiannon, her instinctive meekness fading a bit more. "The Rippers are trying to take over the smaller islands, right?" 

He nodded and took a swig of his ale. "Yup. How it's going to turn out is anyone's guess. I would have stuck around to help, but the Sea Lion needed repairs after that first spat. We were already halfway here when we got news of the second fracas." He shrugged, and he spared a glance around before slipping his hand beneath the bar to squeeze her denim-clad knee. 

"By the way," he whispered, "You rock that top, baby." 

Rhiannon's face heated up again, and she lowered her gaze and squirmed, a dimpled smile curving her lips. "Thanks. I guess your pirate's rubbing off on me a little."

 He laughed at that and he rubbed her knee for a moment, before releasing it. "Everyone could use a little pirate in 'em." 

"You're not little," she blurted thoughtlessly, and then she squeaked with mortification and grabbed her cocktail back up for another swig.

 He laughed even harder and put an arm around her to squeeze her impulsively as Kylie turned a puzzled, amused glance their way. "I like her a lot," he stated. "Maybe I should keep her!" 

"Careful with that, captain," advised the barmaid with a smirk. "She's got some powerful friends. They might not like it if you kidnap her."

 "Oh yeah?" He favored the blushing young woman at his side with another wink. "They pirates?" 

"No. I have a fire dancer, a sorcerer, an Ulvari and a Knight," answered Rhiannon with a teasingly important sniff. "So you'd best watch your step, mister! The knight even taught me some combat moves. I could hurt you if I really wanted to." 

"You can hurt me as much as you want," promised Tristan. He suddenly released her and climbed up onto his barstool, presenting his backside. "Go ahead, my ass is all yours." 

Rhiannon giggled like a scandalized schoolgirl. "Hey, put that thing away," she ordered, swatting at the air in the general direction of his butt with one hand. "You're awful!" 

"Ooh, free spanks," cried Kylie, and without hesitation, she hurried over and slapped Tristan's bottom firmly. 

"Whoohoo," he yelped. He glanced down at Rhiannon. "Sure you don't want a smack, cutie?" 

"I'm sure," insisted the now choking redhead. Tears of mirth were in her eyes even though she kind of wished she had a bag to put over her head. This man could give Auric a run for his money with his spontaneity. "Please sit back _down_ , you drunk pirate!" 

She caught sight of the firearms holstered at his hips and she sobered just a little, reminded that no matter how silly and impulsive his actions were, Tristan _was_ an outlaw and a dangerous man. He obligingly hopped back down and he nudged her playfully. 

"Missed your chance. Maybe I'll give you another one later." 

Rhiannon cleared her throat, and she glanced over at some of his crew that he'd been sitting with earlier—who were laughing and hooting at his antics. "Is he _always_ like this?" 

The blond ponytailed lashran on the left nodded and raised his cup in salute. "I'm afraid so, but you get used to it after a while." 

Rhiannon had to agree. She was _already_ getting used to it once again, and it just wouldn't be Tristan if he weren't doing something wild and boisterous.  

* * *

 

After having a second Bloody Mary she had loosened up enough to chat with more of Tristan's crew. One of the middle-aged guys she remembered from last time. Ian was his name, and she could tell he remembered her too, but he was kind enough not to say anything out loud. Her bladder began to get full and she excused herself to go to the ladies' room. After relieving it and stepping out, she found her way back into the common room blocked by Tristan. 

"The men's room is that way," she informed him with a little smile, pointing across the hall. 

"I know, sweetie cups." He stepped closer to her and subtly backed her up against the wall. Seeing the way she gulped, he held his hands up. "I'm not going to grab you or anything. Just wanted to talk a little private with you for a minute." 

Rhiannon moistened her lips with her tongue and nodded. "Okay. What did you want to talk about?" 

"Getting a little time alone with you," he answered without hesitation. "Did you have plans? Or work? Sorry I didn't give you more notice. We didn't really know we were heading this way until yesterday. Had a problem with the keel and it's going to need some work, so we'll be here for a few days." 

"Oh." The last two times, he'd only stayed for two days. "How many would that be?" 

He shrugged. "I dunno yet. We'll have a better idea tomorrow, but I'm thinking it could be close to a week." He reached out slowly and he touched her face, his fingertips trailing gently over her cheek and jaw. "So how about it, cutie? Do I get to hang with you for a while?" 

"I…um…s-sure," she hedged, pulse quickening from the touch. "But I don't know if we'll be doing…what we did last time." 

For a moment, a flicker of disappointment passed over his face…but Tristan Hunter wasn't one to give up easily. "You had fun last time, didn't you?" 

Rhiannon felt the urge to gulp again. "Hell yes, I had fun, but—" 

He lowered his mouth to hers for a sudden kiss. She went quiet, and then her hand reached up and her fingers were combing through his hair of their own volition. She parted her lips and she felt a surge of dizzying lust when his tongue crept into her mouth. It fenced with hers for a moment before withdrawing, and he pulled away with a mischievous grin. 

"But what?" 

"But…um…I forgot my train of thought," she replied breathlessly. 

He chuckled softly, and his hazel eyes wandered lower. "Hm, is it a little cold in here?" 

Rhiannon blinked in confusion, but then she followed his gaze and she realized with embarrassment that her nips were straining against her blouse. She covered her chest with both hands and huffed. 

"I could warm you up," he offered with a wink. 

"You need to stop that," she chastised, "especially when I've had drinks!" 

"Just two," he pointed out. "You've got a higher tolerance than that, Rhia. You know I'd never take advantage of you, right?" 

"I…" but it was true, he wouldn't. She might not know him that well yet, but she knew him well enough to feel secure that he'd never do such a thing with her. He'd proven that the first night they met, when he helped her to her room after she'd overdone it with the alcohol and tucked her into bed. It wasn't until the next evening that they had what she thought was going to be a one-time encounter. 

"Why do you like me again?" she asked seriously, feeling like the most paranoid thing in the world. 

He smiled at her. "You're cute as a button, sweet as honey and once you get started, you rock my world." 

"It was only two times." 

His brows shot up. "Baby, it was a lot more than twice. Just because we only spent two nights together getting down—" 

"Okay, I know," she said with a chirpy little laugh. "I had trouble walking the next day, both times." 

He gave a villainous, soft laugh and he leered at her a little. "I could carry you around tomorrow if I break you. You'll practically fit in my pocket." He removed his tricorn hat again and he tossed it aside carelessly. 

Rhiannon acted on a bit of impulse of her own, and she slid her arms around his waist and hugged him. "That would be a sight. Me riding around in your pocket. I wonder what my friends would say?" 

He rubbed her back and nuzzled the crown of her head. "Bottle it and market it, probably. I think it'd be cute. Mmm, hair smells good." 

She closed her eyes and rubbed her cheek against his chest like a kitten. The top part of it was a little exposed due to the laces of his shirt loosening up, and the hair beneath tickled her skin. She didn't normally go for men with hairy chests, but his wasn't that thick and it grew in a nice pattern over the pecs and in a narrow line down his stomach. She admitted to herself that she'd missed him, and the reality of seeing him in the flesh again was a bit of a shock to her senses. 

"I'll tell you what," she offered—even as she wondered if she was making a terrible mistake, "Come up to my suite in a few minutes. Act like you're just going to your room to put something away or get something, and you can tell your crew or whoever asks that you just fell asleep. We can hang out for a while. If you'd rather go somewhere in town, I could meet up with you." 

"Your place is fine," he assured her, rocking her gently. "And all kidding aside, I won't mack on you more than you want me to, okay?" 

Rhiannon smiled, trusting him to hold to that. "You'd better not." 

Then, driven by a spark of mischief, she pinched his butt. With a snicker, she wriggled out of his arms and hurried for the stairs.  

* * *

 

"Oh, shit on a turnip!" Rhiannon had already made it to her suite before she realized she'd left her purse downstairs at the tavern. She started to reach for her cell to call Tristan and ask him to bring it with him…only to recall it was in her purse. 

"You stupid little curly fry!" she ranted at herself. She glanced at her landline, pondering. "Maybe I could just call him from the home phone…if I can remember his number?" 

But that was the problem with the technology of smart phones. Nobody memorized numbers anymore because they could just bring them up on the quick dial and let the contact list do all the work for them. 

"Oooh, think…think, think, think!" She smacked her forehead lightly as she picked up the cordless phone from the cradle and tried to remember the number sequence for his phone. Just as she was about to give it a try, there was a knock on her door. Startled, she nearly tossed the phone into the air.

 "Gods, stop jumping at shadows," she hissed to herself, and she dropped the phone on the bed and fairly flew to the other side of the room to peer through the peephole. A hand was blocking her view. "Who is it?" 

"Some random dude," called Tristan's voice. 

She sighed. "You turd." She unlocked the door and pulled it open. "Hey, I left my—" 

He held up her purse with a grin. "Yeah, I got it. Shouldn't just leave your stuff lying around, Rhia. Some pirate might snatch it up." 

Rhiannon laughed with relief. "And what did your crew think of you carrying a girl's purse around?" 

"They think it matched my eyes." He chuckled then, and he tucked it into his vest. "No, seriously…nobody saw me with it. Easy peasy."

 She covered her mouth on another giggle, and she reached out with her free hand to grab his sleeve. "Get in here." 

"Yes ma'am." He entered the room and he looked down at her as she re-locked the door. "Here you go." 

Rhiannon took the purse and opened it up to make sure nothing was missing. "Thanks." 

"I thought about the lipstick, but peach doesn't go with my skintone." 

She patted him on the arm. "You're more of a raspberry, I think. Thanks again for bringing it up to me." She put the purse away on her vanity, and she sat down on her bed. Suddenly nervous again, she looked up at him as he approached. "It's been what…about seven months?" 

He sat down beside her and put an arm around her. "Give or take, yeah. How have things been? I think the last I heard from you was when you got your car." 

She nodded. That had been two months ago. "Sounds about right. Everything's been good." 

He kissed her temple. "Not great, though?" 

Rhiannon looked at him, and she hesitantly put a hand on his knee. "It doesn't have to be." 

"You sure about that? Because I think that if life isn't great, you're doing something wrong." 

"That's kind of unrealistic." Rhiannon sighed and snuggled a little closer, looking down at his boots and admiring them. "Not everyone can live like an outlaw." 

"Sure they can," Tristan insisted, "if they aren't too afraid to." 

She smiled at him. "And people think _I've_ got a simplistic way of looking at life." 

"Simple's best. Life's complicated, but you don't have to have a complicated outlook on it. All you've got to do is live it and have fun while you're doing that." 

Rhiannon stared at this man sitting on her bed, wondering how he could manage to be so juvenile and yet so wise. "So all you care about is having fun?" 

He nodded empathetically. "Mm-hmm. That's the goal. I care about other things too, but if you get bored you get slow, and eventually you stop caring as much whether you get caught. Best way to avoid that is to remind yourself every day that life's worth living."

 "Even when you do stupid things that could get you killed?" She smirked, remembering some of the stories he'd told her of his and his crew's adventures. 

" _Especially_ when you do stupid things that could get you killed." He smiled and he cupped her chin, tilting her head back for a brief kiss. "That's part of the thrill. Live hard, play hard and go to your grave knowing you made it the best fucking life you could. When I die, it'll be with a smile on my face." 

"You almost sound like you're trying to convince me to become a pirate myself," she reasoned. She reached up to toy with the hoops piercing his left ear. "Imagine me that way. Oh, my friends would laugh." 

"Or they might cheer you on." He brushed his lips over hers again. "Have some faith." 

"I could never be a pirate," sighed Rhiannon. "I'm too scatterbrained." 

Tristan snorted. "And you think I'm not? It's practically a requirement, but I won't push the issue. Let's talk about something else."

 Rhiannon shrugged. Right now, all she really wanted to do was hold him. That was an odd thing. She hadn't even wanted to snuggle after they had sex, those last two times they were together. It just felt nice to pretend for a moment that she had someone…someone that wouldn't beat her or force her to do anything against her will. She supposed that was the simple truth. Tristan could be a gentleman, as he'd proven. 

"What do you want to talk about?" she inquired, resting her head on his shoulder. 

"How about you?" he suggested. "Didn't we make a deal that every time I come into town, we tell each other a little more about ourselves?" 

That was true; they had. Rhiannon wasn't sure she was comfortable with that. Fun was fun, but she didn't want them to get too familiar with each other. She didn't want to get too attached. She'd made a bargain with him though. 

"What do you want to know?" 

Tristan didn't mince words. "Why do you flinch a little every time I first touch you? Is it because of my lifestyle? Are you worried I'll hurt you?"

 Rhiannon bit her lip and closed her eyes. "I was afraid you'd ask something like that, sooner or later. I think…maybe that was why my first reaction to seeing you so unexpectedly was to just…run." 

"Hmm." He looked down at her as she opened her eyes to gaze at him. He gave her a pacifying smile. "You don't have to answer it if you don't want to, pretty bit." 

Her gaze softened, and she leaned away a little and folded her hands into her lap. "But I _do_ want to. Mostly because you care enough to ask. I think that's really sweet." 

She took a shuddering breath and she looked at him again. "I was in a relationship with a guy that beat me, almost five years ago. We started dating when I was going through beauty school. He was…my first. I mean, my first time." 

Tristan nodded, his attractive features relaxing into a more somber expression. 

"So anyways," she sighed, feeling a little awkward with him so serious all the sudden, "I didn't know what he was like at first. It started with little things. He'd offer criticism in things I did, he'd correct me, he'd suggest clothing. It didn't seem unusual to me at the start. I mean, I'd dated other guys before him, but he was the first one I was really serious about. I'm not even sure when it started to change…maybe when I got a job and got my career going? He started getting jealous of my work, my coworkers, any guy that spoke to me…and then he hit me for the first time when I came home late after having some drinks with some of my coworkers. He said it was to sober me up because I was 'drunk', and he apologized and swore he'd never do that again, but…" 

"But he did," guessed Tristan, mouth pulling into a frown. 

Rhiannon nodded. "He did. And it started happening more often, for smaller things. He'd started dealing and doing drugs too. I can't even blame it on that, though, because it started before the drug abuse began. I think he was planning for it to be that sort of relationship from the beginning. I finally got away from him with the help of my friends, but I'm gunshy of men now." 

Tristan offered no arguments or complaints. "So how did you get away?" 

Trinity smiled a little. "He attacked one of my friends—only she wasn't really what I'd call a 'friend' at the time. She pushed his buttons and he started choking her. Something in my snapped and I jumped on his back and started hitting him, yelling at him to get off of her. I was used to being hit by him, but I wasn't used to seeing him attack someone I worked with. I just…couldn't let someone else get hurt for me." 

He smiled. "Good girl. See? You've got the heart of—"

"Don't call me a pirate," she interrupted with a chuckle. "I really don't. I just had more than I could take. So anyways, don't think it's you, when I get a little skittish. It's not. You're nothing like him. Hells, you're an outlaw and you've got more morals than that…that turkey." 

Tristan laughed. "You know what else I like about you?" 

She shook her head. 

"The way you always try not to cuss. It's really cute." 

"Hah! You should hear me when I'm alone." 

He tweaked an auburn curl. "But I'm not around when you're alone. Go ahead: drop the F-bomb on me." 

Rhiannon managed a genuine smile again. "Why?" 

He shrugged. "Because I want to hear it. I've never heard you say 'fuck'." 

"It's just a word, though." 

He grinned again. "So what's the problem?" 

Rhiannon took a deep breath. Sometimes she really couldn't get his logic. "Okay, then. F-ffff…" 

She started to laugh—or rather, cackle. She'd accidentally sent a fine spray of spittle into the air when she tried to form the vulgarity, and that combined with the way he was watching her expectantly just did her in. 

"I'm sorry," she snorted, slapping lightly at his chest as she laid her cheek against it. "I don't know why that just happened." 

He chuckled as well and he stroked her hair. "It's all right. Just say it." 

She took another breath and raised her head from his chest. "Okay, just don't look at me." 

"Why?" His teeth flashed in a grin. "Think you might melt if I do?" 

"No, I think I might crack up again." 

He shut his eyes. "There. Better?" 

"Fuck yes." 

He opened his eyes again. "See? Doesn't a little gratuitous swearing feel good?" 

Rhiannon nodded. "It does, but don't expect me to make a habit of it." 

"As long as you let one out twice a day to vent. Think of it like farting. Okay, your turn." 

She blinked at him in confusion. "My turn? To what…fart?" 

He gave her a squeeze and laughed heartily. "No, you silly little siren. To ask me something you want to know about me." 

"Oh!" Feeling a little stupid, she cleared her throat and thought of it for a moment. "How many girlfriends do you have?" 

He scratched his chin and considered her. "Including you? Uh, six…no, five. It's five, now." 

She honestly wasn't surprised by that. Men that didn't stay in one place for longer than a week tended to rack up love interests globally. "What happened to number six?" 

He shrugged. "She tried to kill me." 

"Yeah, right," scoffed Rhiannon, suspecting a trick. 

"No, really," he assured her. "Here, look." 

Tristan undid his vest, removed it, and then pulled his shirt off. "See? There's the scar where she stabbed me." 

A bit flustered by his abrupt removal of his top clothes, Rhiannon looked where he pointed and sure enough, she could see a freshly healed, crescent scar on the right side of his chest, where the pectorals met the shoulder. Her light brown eyes widened and she glanced at his face, before reaching out to gently trace it. It wasn't that big—perhaps the size of the first knuckle of her thumb. 

"And you're not making this up? One of your _girlfriends_ did this to you?" 

"Ex, now." He grinned. "Even I'm not dumb enough to keep seeing someone that wants me dead." 

Rhiannon let her fingers slide down lower, petting the smattering of chest hair as she met his eyes again. "What did you do to make her so mad?" 

"She found out about the other girls. Guess I gave her the idea we were exclusive."

Rhiannon sighed. Well, not every woman would assume the most logical possibility the way she had. But not every woman expected so little of men, either. "Would you have told me about the others, if I hadn't asked?" 

He brushed a curl away from her face. "I figured you already had an idea. You're a thinker. But yeah, I was thinking of bringing it up tonight. Does it bother you?" 

She smiled a bit and shook her head, her gaze going to the little silver hoops piercing both his nipples. "Maybe I'm jaded, but you're right: I figured you had at least one or two other 'friends with benefits'. I don't want to be in a relationship anyways. Not for a good long time." 

He drew her closer and tipped her chin back for another soft kiss. "Want me to show you my checkup?" 

She was again puzzled. "Checkup for what? Ohhh."

  _~That's right…he did that last time to. I forgot he does that every few months. That was my first clue.~_

"Here," said Tristan, and he reached into his pants to get his wallet. He released his one-armed hold on her and he opened it up to retrieve a folded slip from a clinic. 

"I believe you," she said with a blush, but she glanced at it anyway. "Yup, you're clean. Good to know." 

He smiled and put it back. "That's why I limit it. Usually I don't go over five, but you were so cute I couldn't help it." 

She lowered her gaze and smiled as well. "That way if you get something you know it came from one of us, right? So why don't you ask us to get checked out?" 

He shrugged. "I do." 

"Nuh-uh…you never asked me to provide any test results." 

"You're a little different." He smirked at her. "We used a condom the first time, and you asked if I wanted to see the results from your checkup the last time. I figured no girl would do that if she wasn't clean." 

Rhiannon was turning pink again. Yes, he'd been thoughtful enough to use protection without argument that first time. The second time…well, there was something to be said about having sex with this man without a barrier. 

"Look at you blush. I love it." He chuckled and kissed her cheek. "Reminiscing?" 

She gave him a cheeky grin and let herself be a little bolder. "Wouldn't you like to know?" 

_~But yeah, I'm reminiscing about how much you made my toes curl.~_

He didn't respond with words, but with a kiss. Rhiannon squeaked as he put his hands around her waist and maneuvered her onto his lap in a straddling position. She moaned softly into his mouth as their tongues fenced, and she placed her hands flat against his broad chest. His hands slid lower to cup her bottom and he kissed her more insistently, making her forget that she was trying to avoid another long night of passion with him. The feel of the growing bulge in his trousers pressing intimately between her thighs only heated her up more, and she purred in her throat and toyed with his nipple piercings. 

"So much for no sex," she sighed as his lips traveled to her throat. 

Tristan chuckled against her skin and spoke between coaxing little butterfly kisses. "You know I'll stop if you tell me too, baby. Just remember, once I get started I keep going for a while." 

"Oh, I remember," she sighed, eyes fluttering shut. Her hands began to slide lower over his torso, and one of his hands stroked up and around to cup her left breast through her blouse. "I…never had it like that before." 

"That's a crime." He nibbled her ear and began to loosen the laces on her peasant blouse. "You should _always_ have it like that, Rhia." 

She whimpered, shifting on top of him to rub against that tempting hardness…remembering what it had felt like inside of her, after his lips did things to her down there that she never knew could feel so good. "Tristan…"

The sound of a digitized sea shanty interrupted her thoughts, and Captain Hunter groaned. "That's Skidder. I won't answer it," he promised, resuming his quest to get her blouse off. 

"It's okay. It's been almost half a year. I can wait a few more minutes." She smirked at him and leaned back a bit to give him room to answer his cellphone. 

"Grr, this better be good." Tristan dug the object out of his discarded vest and brought it to his ear. "Yo-ho. I've got a sweet little wench in my lap, so make it fast." 

His expression changed as he listened. "Uh-huh. Damn, they moved fast. Good thing we moored the Sea Lion in that cove." He looked at Rhiannon, and she could see the frustration and regret in his eyes. "Yeah, I know. If you don't hear back from me by um…say nine o' clock, you and the crew just get out of here and I'll try to catch up with you somewhere else. Chances are if you don't hear something from me, they got me. Ride those waves hard, brother."

 

He hung up and he dropped the phone on the bed with a sigh. "Port authorities," he explained. "They don't usually bug us here, but every once in a while we make it on the wanted list and I guess someone recognized me or one of the crew when we came in. If they don't find our ship they can't search it for anything, but they could still jail me for a while and fine me for not going through all the right paperwork when we arrived this morning. My crew saw 'em coming and slipped out." 

"They just _left_ you?" 

He nodded. "They couldn't just wait around for me with the authorities coming. Trust me, we've done this drill plenty of times before. All I've got to do is—" 

"Shh!" Rhiannon put a hand over his mouth to shush him when she heard voices and knocks from outside and down the hall. After listening a moment, she met his eyes again with dread. "It's them. They're searching the rooms in the Inn." 

He grimaced. "I'd better go out the window, then." 

She shook her head. "You'll fall and break your neck! There aren't any handholds and this isn't some movie where you'll find a wagon full of hay waiting to break your fall! I'll hide you." 

"I don't want you getting in trouble for me, little Miss Argyle." 

"I won't. Just hurry before they make it to my door!" She climbed off of him and grabbed his shirt and vest, thrusting them at him as he got up. 

"Rhia, all they can do is fine me and hold me for a few days," he protested. "You don't need to start getting a reputation." 

"Hah…I've already got one, believe it or not. You're my friend…um…sort of. Whatever you are to me, I like you too much to see them drag you off." She looked around, and her eyes settled on her closet. 

Tristan laughed. "That'll be one of the first places they look." 

"Doesn't mean they'll find anything. Come on, you'll see!" She took his hand and pulled him toward the wardrobe closet, and she shoved him in there as soon as she opened it. "Now scooch back behind the hanging stuff. There's a panel back there that opens and you ought to be able to fit in there. This building has a history you know, and some of the rooms have hidden stashes." 

"And you don't think they know that too?" 

"There's only one way to find out! Besides, I'm going to make them too uncomfortable to search for long." 

"Oh? How are you gonna do that?" He grinned at her with intrigue. 

"Just never mind and scoot back!" Rhiannon abruptly turned around and yanked her blouse over her head, tossing it to the floor. She took her boots and jeans off next and she kicked them aside to make it look good. Tristan whistled at her and she turned to give him a warning look. "Do you _want_ them to hear you? Here, move over a little."

 "I've got no idea what you're doing, but I like it," he stated as the now bra and panty clad redhead squeezed into the closet with him and felt along the back panel.

 "Shh," she warned. "Okay, here it is." She pressed down on a spot that she'd marked with a dab of nail polish when she'd found it, because it was so well-concealed that it was practically invisible to the naked eye. The panel slid inward, and she pushed it to the side to reveal a cubby hole that was just big enough to hold a grown man—provided he crawled in and crammed himself real good. 

"There, go!" 

Tristan grimaced a bit, but he didn't argue with her. "My hat's on the floor," he reminded her with a grunt as he got on his hands and knees and crawled in. 

She turned around and grabbed it for him, stuffing it into the hole with him. Once he was in all the way, she closed the panel, turned off the closet light and shut it. She quickly escaped her underwear and snatched up her robe, before bending over and hastily mussing her hair. She acted just in time; the knock came at her door just as she tied her robe shut. She waited for a moment before calling out, deliberately trying to make her voice sound husky with sleep. 

"Who is it?" 

"Valkyrie Falls Port Authorities," came the answer. "Would you mind opening the door, ma'am? We have a search warrant." 

Rhiannon took a deep breath and walked over to the door, purposely squinting up at the three uniformed naval officers. "Did I do something wrong?" 

"Not at all, Miss," said the lead one; a tall man with sandy blond hair. "We've been informed that a certain pirate and his crew were seen arriving at the docks, and they came into this establishment this morning. The name of the man we're looking for is Captain Tristan Hunter. Does that name mean anything to you?" 

Rhiannon giggled softly and nodded, pulling her robe shut a little more. "Um, you missed him, sorry. He _was_ here, but he left after getting a phone call from one of his friends." She lowered her gaze demurely. "I didn't know he was in trouble. What did he do?" 

"I'm afraid we can't discuss that with you, Miss…Argyle?" When she nodded affirmatively, he went on: "Mind if we have a look around? We should be out of your way soon." 

She stepped aside and held the door open for them. "Be my guest." 

Fortunately, she was not a recreational drug user and she knew they wouldn't find anything in her flat that might get her into trouble. The men walked in and began to search, and she stood by the door and tried her best to look casual. They searched under her bed, behind the curtains, in bathroom, kitchen and linen closet, and then they opened her wardrobe closet. 

Rhiannon felt a nervous squeak trying to rise in her throat, and she faked a yawn to mask it. Inwardly she was praying they didn't start tapping around and find the hollow spot in the back of that closet. She breathed a little easier when the man that investigated it stepped back out and shook his head at his superior. The blond guy walked over to her as his companions left her room, and he tipped his hat at her. 

"Thank you, Miss Argyle. We apologize for any inconvenience we've caused. Do you know Captain Hunter very well?" 

She bit her lip and shook her head. "Not really, no." That was true enough. "He comes in once or twice a year and sometimes we have…fun." 

"I see." The officer was too polite to ask for her to expand on that. It was clear what she meant by "fun". He waved his companions away and he stepped out the door to join them. "Well, Miss, we would appreciate it if you would contact authorities if he returns. We believe he's still in the city, and regardless of what 'fun' you have with him, please keep it in mind that he's dangerous." 

"I'll remember that," she promised. "Have a nice day!" 

She closed the door behind him and she sighed, waiting until she heard their footsteps retreat all the way down the hall. It must not be all that urgent that they find Tristan. She'd seen Port Authorities tear places apart looking for fugitives. Whatever they wanted him for, it must be fairly minor. 

"Okay, you can come out now," she called after locking the door again and going over to the closet. She heard a thump and a groan. 

"Love to," Tristan's voice grunted from behind the hidden panel, "but I'm kind of stuck." 

Rhiannon bit back a chuckle and opened the closet door. "Stuck how?" She clicked on the light to see better and she pushed her clothes aside so that she could kneel and help him get the panel open. 

"Just can't move enough to get this…ouch! Now I know how sardines feel." 

"Hold on," she instructed. "Just stop fussing and let me help you, okay?" 

"Come on, it's hot in here," he complained. 

"Just a…minute," she said, pressing on the release catch with a bit of effort. The panel gave and his hand covered hers as she started sliding it open for him. His face peered out, beaded with sweat. "They're gone," she assured him. "Give me your hands and I'll help you out." 

He offered his hands as requested, and with a bit of swearing and grunting, he emerged from the cubby. He collected his hat—which had been squished—and he straightened it up. 

"At least the plume's not broken," he said with a shrug, standing up straight again. He smiled at her and pinched her chin. "Thanks, peach. I was more worried about your record getting smeared than getting caught." 

Rhiannon shrugged. "I don't think the department store would have fired me just for being with a pirate." 

"No, but aiding and abetting an outlaw might have done it." He put his arms around her and gave her a smooch. "Hope you don't mind me hanging out until dark. If I try to leave now in broad daylight, they'll probably bag me." 

"Not at all." Sadly, the mood had been broken by the interruption…but she knew it wouldn't take much for him to light her fire again if he so decided. "Why don't I fix us something to eat and put something on the TV? I think I've got some beer and wine in the fridge." 

"I could eat and drink," he agreed. Seeming to have sensed the change in the mood, he put his shirt and vest back on. "Haven't watched anything on the tube in a while, though. What's good, these days?" 

"Nothing, really." She smirked at him and went into the kitchen to try and scrounge something up. "Uh, I don't have any meat," she apologized. "Do you like mac and cheese? I have some canned green beans I could put on the side." 

"Baby, after sea rations for a week, that'd be just fine," he assured her with a chuckle. "I can scarf down some mac and cheese." 

"Good." She got out the box and the additional ingredients she'd need, and she set a pot down on the stove before retrieving one of the three beers she had left in the fridge. She opened it and brought it out to him, and she yelped when he grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto the bed with him again. "Hey, I can't cook from here!" 

"And I can't kiss you from here while you're in there," he pointed out, "so we've got a problem." 

She grinned against his lips. "I thought you were hungry." 

"I'm horny, too." 

Rhiannon fought another giggle. "Well, you're going to have to pick one or the other. We could both burn something valuable if I try to cook and have sex at the same time." 

Tristan sighed. "Yeah, that would be bad." He gave her bottom a little pat. "All right, we've got another couple hours of daylight to burn. Mind if I use your shower while you're cooking?" 

"Go ahead. I don't have anything you can change into, though." 

He shrugged. "I can just put these back on until I get back to my ship. I just need to cool down." 

She glanced down and saw his meaning. "Oh. Right." 

* * *

They got into talking after having their early dinner, and to Rhiannon's surprise, Tristan seemed content to just lay down with her and exchange kisses and caresses as they talked. He didn't push for more, and she combed her fingers through his slightly damp hair. She was learning more about him than she'd ever known…really beginning to feel like she was getting to know him. 

_~Careful. You've done this before. At least this guy's not pretending to be anything other than an outlaw though.~_

"You aren't flinching anymore," he whispered, running a hand intimately down her side and over her hip. He was smiling at her in the dimming light shining through the window. 

"I usually don't after a while," she reminded him. She was still in her robe, and as his hand slipped into the part in the legs, she wondered if she ought to put her clothes back on before they ended up having sex again. Rhiannon hated feeling so conflicted. It was so frustrating to want a man and be afraid of the intimacy at the same time. 

"Yeah, but if I leave you alone for long enough, you usually get flinchy again." His hand glided up her thigh beneath the robe, the palm calloused to the touch, but gentle. "Feel safe around me, now?" 

"As safe as I _can_ feel around a pirate," she agreed with an answering smile. She toyed with his earring, then caressed the beard growth on his jaw. "So do you use a beard trimmer or scissors to keep it this length all the time?" 

"Both." He shrugged. "The beard trimmer's easier on the ship, though. Try to use scissors while you're traveling over choppy water and you could put your eye out. I think I'd look cool with a patch, though." 

Rhiannon snuggled closer and kissed his whiskered chin. "Please don't do that. I like both your eyes." 

He rolled over on top of her, but he supported his weight on his elbows so that he wasn't crushing her. "Hey, did you know pirates originally didn't wear eyepatches because of disfigurement?" 

"So they wore them just for looks?" She played with the medallion hanging around his neck. He hadn't been wearing it before, so she assumed he'd had it in his pocket. It depicted a sea lion on a shoal of rock.

Tristan shook his head. "Nope…well, maybe some of 'em. Some probably lost their eyes too, but the patch helps you see better above and below deck." He kissed her neck and smelled her hair before going on. "If you wear a patch over one eye, it's always adapted to the dark. So when you go below deck, you switch the patch to the other eye and you can instantly see in the dimness. That's pretty useful in a fracas, too." 

"Oh, that's cool." Rhiannon took hold of his medallion and put it over her right eye. "Maybe I should start wearing one so I don't trip on the stairs when I come home in the evening. They're lit up pretty dim." 

He grinned and kissed her brow. "You'd look cute with one." 

"Oh! Did you remember to call Skuttle back?" 

He laughed. "That's 'Skidder', and yeah, I called him after my shower while you were cooking. Everything's all set up. They've got someone waiting at the docks with a motorboat for me. She's new, so the authorities won't recognize her as one of mine. When it's dark enough, I'll head out to meet them. I guess we'll have to travel to another port to finish repairing the damage." 

"Yeah." She lowered her gaze. Maybe she ought to make a move. He wasn't going to be able to stay the night, after all, and time was running out. She wanted him, even if it couldn't last as long as last time. "Ugh, what am I doing," she sighed, even as she reached down and started unbuckling his belt. 

He glanced down. "Uh…dropping my pants. Hey, last time you didn't start doing that 'till I played with you for a while. And then…" he chuckled at the memory. 

"Yes, I remember." She looked up at his face again, her fingers steadily sliding the buckle open. Once he got her rolling, she couldn't seem to stop. It was just hard for her to get over her initial shyness and insecurity. "Maybe I'm coming out of my shell." 

Biting her lip, she finished undoing the belt and she rested her palm over the promising swell of his crotch—which was getting more pronounced by the moment. "Maybe I think it's time for _me_ to take what _I_ want, for a change." 

He rubbed against her with that Cheshire grin on his face. "It's all yours for the taking, cutie." 

She unzipped his pants and reached in to fondle him. Her thumb brushed against the sternum piercing on the underside of his shaft, just beneath the head. He hummed in delight and kissed her, his tongue tracing her lips. "You're still on birth control right?" 

Rhiannon nodded. "Just got my injection last week." Her breath hitched, a thrill going through her as he kissed his way down and nuzzled her cleavage. It tickled delightfully, and she gasped as he shifted to tug her robe open and circle a nipple with his tongue. 

Then his damned phone started ringing. 

"Are you _kidding_ me?" moaned Rhiannon in frustration. The ring tone for this one sounded like a Lashran harp. 

Tristan groaned along with her. "I'd better get that. It's Tam. He gets really pissy when his calls aren't answered and he's my first mate, now." 

"Fine, I'll just keep playing," she decided. She smirked up at him as he shivered a little in response to the stroking of her hand. 

"Mm, naughty wench. I like it." He put the phone to his ear and supported his weight on his other arm. "Yo-ho. What's the status, Tam? Hmm. Yeah…that's good. Huh? Ah, no…I meant…something else is good." 

His eyes shut briefly and he smiled down at Rhiannon. "Yeah, I'm a little…distracted. Hey, relax. It'll be fine. Just send Blinky and maybe my lady friend can help us out. Uh-huh. Er, yeah. Yeah, that's a good idea. Do that. See you soon." 

He ended the call and he lowered his forehead to her shoulder. "Hey sexy, I hate to do this but…we've got to stop." 

Rhiannon grumbled, and she rubbed the tip of his sex with her thumb, drawing another shudder from him. "Then I guess it's my turn to prioritize. Okay, I should probably get dressed, then." 

"Sorry, Rhia." He pulled away with obvious reluctance and he sat up, carefully tucking his swollen package in before fastening his pants and belt. "Believe me, I'd rather stay here with you than go sneaking through the city. Blinky's going to come meet up with me to help me get to the boat. He's a Bargel, so don't be surprised when you get a knock at the door and don't see anyone right away when you open it. He can veil us both, but there's a chance it might wear off." 

Rhiannon nodded, all too familiar with sorcery due to her friend Auric. "Anything I can do to help?" She picked up her discarded clothes and gathered them up so that she could change into them in the bathroom. 

"Yeah, put on something comfortable," he suggested, "and grab a jacket. It's starting to get chilly at night." 

Rhiannon frowned at him. "Can you say that again and make sense?" 

He chuckled. "Like I said; the veil might wear off and if that happens, I might need a distraction. You get to be our escort, pretty lady." 

"But why are they coming to get you now?" she asked. "I thought you were going to wait until sundown? And why do I need a jacket when the sun isn't going to set for another two hours?" 

Tristan shrugged. "It's going to take a while to reach the ship. It's out in a cove and right now it's safe, but Tam says they've started looking along the coast. They _probably_ won't find us, but we'd better not take the risk. We've got cargo they don't need to find." 

He put his arms around her and gave her another one of those charming grins. "Wouldn't you like to see a real pirate ship? Don't worry; we'll have someone give you a ride back on the motorboat after we get there and I show you around a little. Let a guy show off. Just ignore the damage to the keel." 

"Is it seaworthy?" she questioned. "I'm not too keen on you guys floating out and sinking right away." 

He nodded. "It'll be fine. It's not bad enough to take on water, but it needs to be fixed or it _will_ get that way. We've just got to take it easy." 

Her gut was warning her not to be so quick to trust him, but she didn't want to see him get into trouble. "So what's the plan?" 

He rubbed her shoulders. "You change into something clean and comfy—that sweet getup you were wearing earlier would probably work—pick out a jacket in case it starts getting cold, wait for Blinky to show up and then come with us to the docks. The pilot waiting there will take us out to the ship on a motorboat, but people will only see you and her. Once we get there, I'll give you a tour and then a good smooch goodbye, and then you'll head back in the same little boat. No problem." 

"And what about if the spell fades, like you mentioned? What kind of distraction should I make?" 

He shrugged again. "Take your shirt off? Come on, you're a pretty girl. You can distract without really trying." 

She slapped his chest lightly. "I'm not taking my shirt off! But I do want to make sure you guys make it safely. I'll figure out something." 

"That's my girl." He patted her lower back. "And thanks for dinner."

* * *

Rhiannon had to wonder why she always made such bad decisions when it came to men. Thankfully they made it out of the Inn and to the docks without "Blinky's" spell fading, but as she stepped into the boat with the help of an invisible pirate captain, she had to argue with herself a bit. 

_~You get seasick, and you're about to ride in this little motorboat to some cove out off the coast of Valkyrie falls with three pirates. Didn't Chip teach you anything, girl? Stop trusting the bad boys!~_

She could practically hear Trinity's voice in her head as she had these thoughts, and she yelped a little when one of the two invisible rogues put an arm around her and pulled her into his lap. 

"That better be Tristan," she warned severely, gulping as the pilot of the small vessel started it up to go. 

A familiar laugh sounded in her ear, tickling it. "Blinky's scared of girls. He'd never do this." 

"I'm not scared of—" 

"Shut it," snapped the surly young woman piloting the boat. "Cap'n, you've both got to keep it down 'till we're out of the harbor. Save the playing for later." 

Rhiannon sighed and squirmed in the pirate captain's lap. The sea spray misted her face as the boat began to move off, and she understood what Tristan was talking about with the light jacket. The sun was starting to set and the temperature had cooled somewhat. She pulled the hoodie over her head to keep the spray off her hair, dreading the frizz it might cause. She was already starting to feel seasick. 

"Ugh…h-how much longer until we make it to the cove?" 

The brunet manning the wheel glanced over her shoulder at her. She was much nicer to Rhiannon than she'd been to the two males. "About ten minutes, honey. The worst part's behind us. You did good helping these guys back to the ship…not that they deserve it." 

"You wound me with your words, lady," protested the disembodied voice to Rhiannon's left. She still had no idea what the man looked like, but he sounded young. Half of the crew that had come with Tristan this year seemed new to her. Some she recalled, but so far none of the ones she'd interacted with were familiar. 

"Don't mind Lotus," suggested Tristan in her ear. "She's just a little annoyed about the problems we've run in to. You haven't done anything to piss her off so she'll treat you like gold." 

Rhiannon swallowed again. "That's not it. I'm just…I get seasick." 

"Here, give me your wrist." 

Puzzled, she offered a wrist to him. "Feeling my pulse?" 

"Nope. Pressure points." A warm thumb began to massage just under her pulse. "This works for some people. Let me know if it gets better." 

The boat hit a wave and she fell back against Tristan's chest "Haden told me about pressure points," she managed. "So did Glaive." 

"And who are they again?" Tristan kept rubbing. 

"Haden's the Knight," answered Rhiannon, "And Glaive's the Ulvari." 

"Gotcha." He took her other wrist and began to do the same. "But are they landlubbers?" 

"I have no idea," she answered honestly. "Hey, that's actually feeling a little better, though." 

"Hmm, told you so." He grinned against her cheek. "Just relax, cutie. It won't be much longer." 

Rhiannon sighed and did as he advised, leaning back against him as they skipped over the waves. Her nausea faded to a more bearable level as they approached the cove and she smiled a little when he tugged her closer and hugged her to give her more warmth. It was nice, even if it was a lie. 

* * *

"Okay, this is nice." 

Honestly, her anxiety hadn't faded even though her nausea miraculously had. She looked up at Tristan—who was now visible again, and she looked at the previously invisible Bargel that had come to help them. The man was young as suspected, but his white-blond, short-cropped hair made him seem a little older. He was cute enough, with high cheekbones and a straight nose. His eyes were deep blue. 

"Blinky? Thanks for coming to help. You seem…real sweet. Nice to meet you." 

He smiled and gave her a flourishing bow that reminded her of something that Auric would do. "My pleasure. Now please excuse me, I need to see what I can do to strengthen the keel." 

The woman called "Lotus" came up to Rhiannon next. "Just let me know when you're ready to go, honey." She hugged her briefly. "I'll power her up soon as she's refueled!" She skipped off all chipper—a big difference from her earlier behavior. 

Rhiannon turned around to look up at the man that had brought her out here. "So, you wanted to show me a tour? I mean, it sounds nice but I should probably get back." 

She started to walk towards Lotus, and Tristan grabbed her around the waist. 

"Just a sec." 

Rhiannon turned to face him again, and she frowned. "I told you I learned some things, right? I can hurt you." 

He smiled at her. "I know you could. Come with us." 

Rhiannon blinked. "Wait…what?" 

"Come with us," he repeated, still smiling. 

"You're cute…but you're crazy." She pulled away from him. "I can't just 'come with you'! All my stuff…my bills…my clothes…" 

"They'll still be here when you get back," he assured. He put an arm around her and he steered her to the starboard bough. "Just look, Rhiannon. There's a whole lot out there you still haven't seen. Didn't you say last time you wanted an adventure?" 

She peered out at the horizon, and she found it a bit scary. "You remember that, huh?" 

"Yeah." He looked down at her again, the coaxing smile still curving his lips. "So why not?" 

"Well…b-because all my stuff, and all those other things I mentioned!" 

"Don't worry about that," he told her softly. "Your rent and bills are all paid for three months, and we can buy you more clothes at the next stop." 

"He-llooo, I still have a job to worry about," she reminded him. "I can't just—" 

"Why not?" he interrupted. He propped an elbow on the rail of the deck and he just kept giving her that boyish, engaging smile. "You were just trying it out, right? You said your old boss would give you the job you had before back lickety-split. What are you risking by going on an adventure?" 

_~How about my sanity?~_

But in reality, she couldn't argue with anything he said…and that scared the living hell out of her. "Why…why are you doing this?" 

He glanced off at the orange-painted sky. "Because I hate seeing people caged, I guess. If you really want me to, I'll send you back to the dock with Lotus. She'll make sure you make it home okay and you can keep going like you always did." 

He reached out to cup her chin, and he smiled at her again. "I'd love it if you'd come travel with us for a while, though. Everything you need is right here on this ship, and I'll cover any clothes you need in the meantime." 

Rhiannon found it hard to breathe. "This is…oh gods, this is so freaking stupid. Trin would kill me!" 

Tristan grinned at her. "Is she your mother?" 

Rhiannon shook her head. "She's my friend…but sometimes I think she forgets that." 

"She probably just worries about you. I'm sure she'll get over it. What do you say? Come have an adventure, or go back to your mundane, everyday life?" 

Though she could hardly believe she was doing it, Rhiannon ignored the warning in her heart and decided to live spontaneously. "I'll...I'll come with you. Oh gods, I can't believe I'm doing this!" 

He laughed and pulled her close. "You won't regret it. I'll make sure you have the time of your life." 

She rested her hands on his shoulders, still in a state of amazement that he'd approached her with this. Did he always just fly by the seat of his pants? "What's it like to live so spontaneously, Tristan?" 

"It's great," he enthused with another smile. "You're going to love it." 

Rhiannon certainly hoped so. While she'd become more adventurous after escaping her ex, there was a thrill of danger underlying this whole thing. She hoped her decision wouldn't cost her too much, in the end.

 

* * *

 

-To be continued  


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

 

Rhiannon stared at the captain's quarters, surprised. She figured they'd reflect Tristan's personality a bit better—which logically would have meant disorganized like a teenaged boy's room. Instead, the room was neat, orderly and decorated with masculine style. The oaken dining table had a sterling silver plate of fruit crowning the center and an overhead lantern shaped like a basking mermaid. A bookshelf was secured to the wall beside the desk, with safety slats running the middle of each shelf to hold the books secure there. A custom laptop done steampunk style rested on the surface of the oak desk, and there was a chamber in the back left corner of a room, separated by a dark wooden slat door, and what appeared to be a closet was built into the wall near it.

Electric string lights charmingly designed to look like nautical lanterns lined the walls for additional luminance, and there were paintings of ships, lighthouses and sea life adorning the walls, as well. One of them depicted a bare-breasted mermaid, but that was surprisingly the only picture with female nudity hanging on his walls. There was a box bed in the back of the room with nautical themed sheets and pillows, big enough for two but not quite queen sized. Hanging in the corner to the left of the bed was a large hammock, and that confused her even more.

"Why do you have a bed _and_ a hammock?" She asked him, pointing at the hammock. She smiled at him. "And that's the only boob picture you've got? You're full of surprises."

He cleared his throat. "You haven't seen my magazine collection yet. Anyway, the hammock's there 'cause sometimes the sea gets choppy and it's easier to sleep in than a bed. It just swings with the motion of the ship and I don't have to worry about falling out of it. That back there is my private bathroom, so if you want a shower without worrying about anyone walking in on you, use that. The bathing room on board is set up as a community shower. The crew's used to bathing in front of each other, but I know you're used to more privacy."

He grinned and put an arm around her. "Besides, we can do other things in my shower together that we couldn't do in the community one. Well, we could, but only if we want to give the crew a free show."

"Ah-hah...I think I'll stick to your shower," she replied dryly. "Um...so what am I going to do about clothes?"

She had some money saved up and she'd brought her wallet and bank card with her, plus she had some cash on hand. She didn't know how long that would last, though. "Unless the crew wants makeovers, there isn't much I can do to earn my keep here."

"You'll be fine," he assured her. "We'll stop off at the next port and you can go shopping while we work on the ship. If you want to help out, I'll show you how to do some things...easy stuff like swabbing the deck or helping in the mess hall. I can teach you more if you want, but you're my guest...so if you need any extra cash, just ask me."

"I can't ask you for any money," she protested, frowning.

"Why the hell not? Everyone else does." He nudged her gently and smiled. "And if you're contributing something, you're earning. I already told you I'd take care of your clothing needs."

"Swabbing decks and cooking meals might not be enough," she reasoned.

He winked at her. "You're giving me your company, too. That's worth a lot more than cooking and cleaning to me."

She blushed. "Um, Tristan? You didn't invite me just so you'd have easy access to sex on board, did you?"

"What, you mean like my personal concubine?" He shook his head. "Nah, that's not it. I could stop at any port I want and get laid. You're not all that 'easy', either."

"Well, that's...er...sweet of you to say, but I still don't get what prompted you to do this. If it's not the sex, then what is it?"

He stared at her and for a moment. "I already told you; I hate seeing people caged. Besides, I like you. I want to get to know you a little better. Of all my girlfiends, you give me the least hassle. Couldn't resist kidnapping you for a while."

She snorted. "You might change your tune about that. How long am I going to be your 'captive' anyhow, Captain Hunter?"

He chuckled and lowered his head to give her a quick smooch. "Depends. Maybe I'll keep you forever."

Rhiannon's heart annoyingly skipped a beat, and she reminded herself that it was just banter. Tristan Hunter was not the sort of man to settle down with one woman, and she still had plenty of baggage from her last relationship. Her trust issues weren't as bad as they'd been a couple of years ago, but she still suffered instinctive fear of men.

_~So why am I taking off with one on a pirate ship at the last minute?~_

"You okay? You look like you're feeling a little seasick again."

Rhiannon looked up at him, and she nibbled her lip. She nearly told him that she felt too safe with him and that bothered her, but she forced a smile and shrugged, instead. "I'm fine. I'm just taking everything in. I like how your ship has a classic design with modern parts, by the way. Can I see the rest of her?"

The ship began to move, and Rhiannon staggered a little, unused to it. Tristan's arm tightened around her to help her balance. "Sure, cutie. The Sea Lion usually starts off a little smoother, but the damage has her a little crooked. It'll be a lot better once we make repairs, and you'll get your sea legs in a couple days."

"I don't know about that," she sighed as he escorted her back out of the captain's quarters and to the stairs going up to the deck.

"I'm telling you, there's a pirate wench in there just begging to get out," he insisted. He let her go up first and then he followed, ready to catch her if the motions of the ship threw her off balance again. "Trust me, Rhia."

"You're not going to let it go, are you?" She moved aside for him as they reached the top of the stairs and made it to the door. "And I've already seen the deck. I thought you were going to show me the mess hall and stuff."

"I will," he promised, reaching around her to open the door for them. "First I thought you'd like to check out the crow's nest, though."

She blinked at him, and then she peeked through the door and up at said crow's nest, high up on the main mast. The ship's sails were currently lowered, as it was running on the motor engines. A ring of steps wound their way up the mast to the enclosed scaffold, and though it was designed by modern standards to provide shelter from weather and protection from falls, the crow's nest was structured of the same steel reinforced wood as the outer structure of the ship. Tristan had already explained that the wood was actually a shell covering up the steel underneath. It was how many modern vessels managed to keep a classic design without giving up naval technology and weaponry.

"I don't know if I can do that," she gulped. Her stomach churned at the thought of it.

"Afraid of heights?"

She shook her head and looked up at him. "Afraid of tossing my cookies. I've heard the crow's nest is really wobbly, and every movement of the ship is intensified up there."

He shrugged. "It can be a ride, for sure. It's also kind of fun, and you can get a bird's eye view of the horizon. Come on, Rhia." He took her hands and smiled encouraging at her. "I'll go with you. I'll do the pressure point trick and if you start getting the heaves, I'll carry you down again on my back, if I've got to."

She sighed. While Tristan hadn't overtly pressured her to do anything, he could be like a dog with a bone. She _had_ told him more than once that she wanted to experience new things. That was how they ended up hooking up in the first place.

"Better bring a vomit bag," she warned.

He started drawing her out the door by her hands, his smile never fading. "Crow's nest already has a couple of buckets for that. You'd be amazed how many times we've had to raise and lower 'em for cleaning, when someone with a weak stomach gets stuck up there for a while."

"I don't understand," she admitted, her gaze going past his shoulder to the structure she was about to climb up into. "Don't you guys use radar now?"

"Yeah, but having a real pair of eyes up there is pretty damned helpful when you're coming up on other vessels, or when the radar's being dodgy. The crow's nest is still useful and anyone that doesn't have one on their ship is just asking for a wreck, if you ask me. Besides, it's fun to sit up there sometimes. Especially at sunset."

"Oh, so _that's_ why you want to drag me up there so bad," she reasoned, glancing at the fading orange light to the west.

Tristan nodded. "Mm-hmm. We only have about twenty minutes before it sets completely, and you know I like to romance you a little when I can. I'll finish showing you around afterwards."

She couldn't help but smile a little. Whether he had four other girlfriends or fifty, he was with her right now and he made her feel special. Even if it was just play, she could appreciate it for what it was.

* * *

Tristan checked with Tam in the bridge first to make sure nobody was in the crow's nest already. When the blond lashran assured him the forecast was for mostly clear skies and there was no need to station a lookout yet, the pirate captain checked their heading and told his first mate that he'd take over piloting in a couple of hours. After that, he and Rhiannon made the somewhat dizzying climb up to the crow's nest, and she had to admit that the view was breathtaking. She could see the lights of Valkyrie Falls in the distance as they moved further away from land, and the sky to the west was painted in colors of orange, yellow and read. The setting sun reflected on the smatter of clouds, pretty as a picture.

Tristan closed the door to the enclosed lookout and he came up behind her. He slipped her hood back down over her head and he embraced her from behind, nuzzling her auburn curls. "See? Real pretty...like your hair."

Rhiannon nodded, swallowing a little as the structure tilted slightly with the motions of the ship. "It really is. I just hope I don't spoil it by getting sick."

Tristan's hands reached for her wrists, and he began to massage those spots from earlier. "Just relax and breathe evenly," he coached. "Some people just need to get used to it. Take Skidder, for example. He swore up and down he was prone to chronic seasickness when I made him join my crew to work off the debt he owed me, but now we couldn't get rid of the bastard if we tried. He settled his debt seven months ago, and he's still with us."

Rhiannon's eyes grew heavy lidded as she listened and watched the colors on the horizon. "Why do you send people with weak stomachs up into the crow's nest, anyhow? Do you just get your kicks from hauling buckets of puke?"

He laughed and brushed his cheek against hers, the whiskers on his face tickling her skin. "It's punishment for fucking up, sweet thing. A couple of hours up there and they don't make the same mistake twice...at least not for a while."

"So who gets to clean the buckets?" She shivered as his breath caressed her ear.

"Whoever's next in line to sit in the crow's nest," he answered, "or whoever's newest. There's a hierarchy on the ship."

"Hmm, does that mean I might have to do it?" She leaned back against him, enjoying his body warmth.

"Not unless you decide to join my crew. Helping out with cleaning and cooking is enough."

She turned a little to look at him. "There's something I still don't get about all this."

"So ask." he favored her with a charming smile.

"Before when the authorities were looking for you, you said that you didn't want me to get involved because you didn't want me getting in trouble. Now you're sailing off with me on your ship. Aren't I more likely to get in trouble this way than by hiding you in my closet for a few minutes and helping you get out of the city?"

"Er..." He hesitated with a slight frown. "Stop being Logic Girl and just enjoy it."

Rhiannon chuckled. "See? You don't even know, Mr. 'fly by the seat of my pants'."

"Hey, I live by the seat of my pants."

She would have commented on that, but the crow's nest rocked again and she ended up gasping and clinging to him. It was Tristan's turn to chuckle as he tightened his hold on her. "It's all right. Look at that; you haven't thrown up once."

"Don't be so sure it won't still happen," she warned, though his trick with the pressure points seemed to have worked. The motions of the ship still gave her an odd little thrill, but they weren't making her feel nauseous any longer.

"I think you'll get used to it just fine," he predicted, and then he lowered his head to kiss her.

Rhiannon slipped her fingers through his hair and knocked his hat off, returning the kiss. His tongue eased into her mouth and she reciprocated its caress, once again forgetting her inhibitions. She still didn't know quite how or why, but this man had a way of distracting her so very easily. She vaguely felt the press of the window against her as he backed her up against it, but it wasn't nearly as acute as the feel of his hardening groin rubbing against her lower belly. She murmured against his lips as he cupped her bottom and lifted her up onto the counter—which she assumed was intended for occupants to place drinks and food on while on lookout duty.

"Tristan, I don't think that's what this surface is for."

His soft chuckle tickled her lips. "Why not? It's my ship." His beard caressed her skin as he kissed his way down her neck and started unzipping her hoodie.

"I...b-but..." Rhiannon's protests died with a sigh of need as his hips ground between her thighs. Their earlier encounter got interrupted—not once, but twice—and she hadn't gotten any loving since the last time he was in town. Stupid choices or not, Tristan was her only source of nookie since Chip and she had her needs like any other woman. Her actions belied her words as she unbuttoned his vest and slipped her hands under his shirt to run them over his chest. It still amazed her how much the feel of his body hair against her palms turned her on. At least it was limited to his chest and stomach. She'd tried to date a guy once that had hairy shoulders and a hairy butt, and it was so unattractive to her that she could never go all the way with him. Tristan's body hair pattern was just manly and sexy to her.

_~Oh brother, am I seriously about to do it with this guy right here in the crow's nest?~_

It certainly seemed that way. Her hoodie fell to the floor and she moaned softly as one of his big hands reached under her blouse to unhook her bra. "W-won't someone see what we're up to?" she gasped, recalling her sense of modesty.

"Windows are tinted," he explained, his lips traveling over her shoulder as he tugged one side of her blouse down over her shoulder to bare more flesh. "I've locked the hatch too, so nobody can bust in on us."

That made her feel a bit more secure, and she slid one hand down to grope the straining hardness between his thighs. He made that sensual humming sound of approval in his throat, pressing more firmly into her palm, and Rhiannon's loins ached responsively. She encircled his waist with her legs and she slipped her other hand down to start undoing his belt and pants.

"Careful with the guns, baby," he warned huskily. "Safety's on but we could still have an accidental discharge if you just drop 'em on the floor."

That thought hadn't even occurred to her, and she giggled. "We wouldn't want an accidental discharge, would we? That would spoil everything."

He grinned against her skin, his hands easing the hem of her blouse up slowly. "Hey, my flesh gun _never_ does that. You ought to know better."

"Thank goodness," she sighed, and she smiled shyly at him as she palmed said part again, giving it a little squeeze. "You're sure nobody will be able to see us?"

"Not unless they sneak up here and put their face right up to the window. I know my crew though, and they won't do that. They've got enough common sense to give us our privacy."

Rhiannon lifted her arms over her head to let him remove her blouse. "I sure hope so." It was probably going to be obvious to most of them that they'd fooled around while up there once they finished and went back down, but as long as it wasn't blatant...

Tristan's mouth sought out hers again as her blouse drifted to the floor, and Rhiannon's thoughts flew out of her head again. She tugged at his belt, and then she recalled that he still had his guns holstered in it. Mindful of his warning concerning accidental discharges, she snapped open the straps securing the weapons to his belt and she eased the firearms out, one at a time. Gingerly, she set them down on the counter, before undoing his trousers and tugging them down. She didn't even recall her bra being undone, and her nipples tightened as it dropped on the counter, exposing her small, firm breasts to the cool air. Tristan's hands covered them almost immediately, his palms warming them as they gently squeezed and fondled.

Rhiannon's pulse quickened and she sucked on his invading tongue. Her passion was quickly overtaking her shyness, and another moan arose in her throat. He unzipped her jeans and urged her to lean back.

"Lift your hips a little," he demanded huskily.

Rhiannon did so, and he hooked his fingers under the waist of the garment to tug it down. There was a problem, though: she was still wearing her boots. The pirate swore softly to himself and then laughed.

"Whoops...forgot about those. Hold on a sec."

He bent over and slipped the boots off...and that action was unreasonably sensual to Rhiannon. Now panting slightly, she sat back up as he pulled her socks off, her gaze going to his exposed groin. "Take your shirt off," she demanded. "I don't want to be the only one topless."

He grinned at her as he straightened up to do as she commanded. "Want my pants and boots off too?"

Rhiannon nodded. "Now that you mention it, those need to go."

She watched him undress and she blushed as more of his tanned body was exposed to view. He really was put together nicely, and he was in better shape than a lot of guys half his age. When he was finished, he kicked aside his pile of clothing and his hands grasped her hips to pull her closer to the edge of the counter. She squeaked a little in surprise, and her blush returned full-force as he pushed her thighs apart and started to kneel before her.

"What are you...oh. Oh...umm...ahh!"

Her body quivered and jerked of its own accord as his mouth began to do those wondrous things to her loins that had her so bewildered and helpless the last time. His facial hair tickled her delicate flesh delightfully as his tongue began to tease the swollen nub he'd sought out. Shaken little gasps escaped her lips, and she combed her fingers through his hair. He'd barely even begun and her toes were already curling, the pink-polished nails glinting in the orange light.

"T-Tristan...oh, gods," whimpered Rhiannon, her head falling back on the counter. She bumped it against the window in the process, but she hardly noticed the brief discomfort as his lips closed around her clit and gave it a suck. She cried out, her back arching as the sinful intensity of the pleasure jolted through her. She thought she felt him smile, and then his tongue began to flick against the captured pearl of flesh. She jerked impulsively with each lick, again at his mercy.

"Mmm," he purred, as if cherishing a delicious treat. One of his hands slid up her belly and ribcage to massage her breasts one at a time, while the other fondled the tender folds beneath her clit. His thumb circled her right nipple, making it tingle and go hard, and she gasped his name again as he pushed a finger inside of her.

_~I am sooo glad I landscaped down there yesterday. Ack...what a thing to think about, Rhiannon! The man's licking you cross-eyed and you're worrying about how your pubes look!~_

But considering he was getting a close-up of the area, she supposed it was a legitimate thing to be concerned with. Her breath started coming in swift, short gasps as the heat of pleasure built and built, and the jolts of sensation were getting so intense she couldn't stop herself from squirming. He slipped another finger inside of her and he stopped fondling her breasts to grasp her hip and hold her still. A curse rose on her lips, and she began to plead with him, feeling like she just might explode.

"Tris...tan...oh...oh wait...ahh...p-please...I c-can't...it's s-so..."

She wasn't even aware of what she was saying, and her incoherent pleas got lost in the increasingly loud moans that she could not prevent. His fingers curled inside of her, rubbing against a spot that almost made her feel the urge to urinate. She knew his intention and she tried to brace herself as the spasms began. A scream built in her throat and her hips bucked as her inner walls clenched hard around his busy fingers. Her eyes rolled back and all she could do was lie there and tremble as her orgasm overcame her. It kept going on and on, drawn out by his attentions to the g-spot that she'd always believed was just a myth, before she met him. She felt herself spurt a little and she suffered a moment of embarrassment, unused to her body doing such a thing. She didn't even know females were capable of ejaculation until the first time it happened to her, and it still freaked her out a little.

"Just ride it out, beautiful," he encouraged huskily between licks when he noticed her biting her hand. "Nobody's going to hear you up here."

She very much doubted that, but in favor of not biting a chunk out of her hand, Rhiannon dropped it and grabbed the edges of the counter. The scream she'd been trying so hard to hold back finally escaped in a ululating wail, and her legs hugged his torso. When it finally began to fade, Tristan withdrew his fingers and kissed his way up her heaving body, pausing to kiss each breast before claiming her lips.

Rhiannon put her arms around him and returned the kiss, still panting like she'd run a marathon. He helped her sit up, and he pushed her thighs further apart before positioning his pierced arousal at her entrance. A muffled exclamation issued in her throat as his cock eased into her, and she trembled anew. His tongue thrust demandingly in her mouth as he slowly filled her, careful not to go too fast.

"Damn, I missed this," he groaned, breaking the kiss to rest his chin on the crown of her head. He stroked her curls with one hand, while cupping her bottom with the other. She whimpered and he pulled back a little to look at her. "Ouch? Or was that a good sound? Gods, you're tight."

"G-good sound," she assured him. Oh, how he filled her...it was almost too much, but he hadn't started moving yet. Rhiannon kissed his bare shoulder and ran her hands over his chest, calming her breathing as best she could while she adjusted. The occasional, residual spasm from her climax made her clench around his thick length, and she moaned at the feel of it. "I've missed this too."

He smiled at her, his hand still stroking her hair. "Good to know, baby."

Tristan withdrew slowly, then filled her again. His lips sought out hers for another kiss, grunting softly with pleasure as he repeated the motion. He deepened the kiss and hummed in his throat, buttocks flexing with his smooth, gentle pumping. Rhiannon's breathy exclamations of pleasure were lost in his mouth as he gradually picked up speed, and she slid her hands down and around to grab his ass. Her legs embraced his waist tightly as his hips rolled with more force, and her cries grew in volume and frequency. Every thrust stroked her inside just right, intensified by the piercing on his shaft.

Before she knew it, she was calling out to the gods again. She put her arms around his neck and clung to him, undulating her hips to match his thrusts. Harder, faster, he was soon taking her with enough force to make the crow's nest shudder. The vague fear that they might soon rock it right off its seating and go crashing down to the deck made Rhiannon hold onto him tighter, but he obviously suffered no such concern.

"Ah...oh, Tristan," she blurted, feeling another climax coming with startling speed.

He changed his rhythm to fast, shallow thrusts and she tossed her head back and moaned, in the throes of her second orgasm. It wasn't quite as intense as the first, but that had been like a hurricane to Rhiannon. This one was more bearable to her and she dug her neatly manicured fingernails into his chest, scratching a path of marks down it to his navel.

"Oh...I'm s-sorry," she panted, mortified by her aggression.

He resumed his deeper thrusts and he chuckled breathlessly. "Don't be. I like it when a girl marks me. Let's me know I'm doing things right."

"You are," she agreed, face flushed with passion as well as lingering bashfulness. "You...definitely are. Oh!"

He gave a sudden, hard thrust that felt like it had penetrated deeper than before, and before she could recover from the intensity of it, he did it again...and again after that. Rhiannon clung to him again, her cries fanning his ear as his hips snapped vigorously. His groans mingled with the sounds she was making, and she couldn't be sure if it hurt or not. It was just on the edge of being painful, and the pleasure was greater than the discomfort. She stroked his hair as his voice roughened and his breath quickened with excitement. Louder he moaned, his hands grabbing her hips to pull her into his thrusts.

"Hah...ah shit, baby," Tristan cried, hissing between his teeth. "Think I'm gonna come soon."

She kissed his ear and deliberately blew into it, and then she played with the hoops piercing his nipples, tugging on them to pleasure him. This was another of her favorite parts, hearing the sounds he made and seeing the look of surrender and relief on his face when he came. He always liked to keep it up for as long as he could, but she knew an encore would come before long, if he couldn't hold back.

That low growl began in his throat, followed by a softer, helpless sound of bliss. He moaned her name and she kept it up, alternating between tugging his piercings and fondling his nipples. Tristan laid his forehead against her shoulder and his body tensed up, his breath catching as he lost it. With one last, firm thrust, he bucked inside of her and cried out once more. Rhiannon nuzzled his cheek and sighed, just as much relieved for him as fascinated by the feel of him spurting inside of her.

"Nuh," he panted after a moment, "gods, that was good. Didn't...expect to come that fast or that hard."

He laughed and took his head off her shoulder, kissing her softly. "Don't think I'm done with you yet though, cutie. I'll get my second wind and then I'm going to be all over you again."

"I'm sure you will," she smirked, "but um...could we do it in the bed next time? And don't you have to pilot the ship later, too?"

He noticed her little shiver and he held her close to share body warmth. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Damn." He kissed her again and grinned. "I could have just stayed up here making love to you and forgotten all about that, if you'd have let me. I don't want you to get a cold, though, and I guess the counter's not too comfortable."

"I hardly noticed," admitted Rhiannon shyly. "It's more the chill in the air that's bothering me."

He eased his sated length out of her and bent over to gather her clothes for her. "Of course, sweet stuff. I'll show you the rest of the ship, get you something to eat and then you can just kick back under the covers while I take over piloting. Should be smooth sailing to our next port, so you probably won't need to climb into the hammock."

She gratefully allowed him to help her get dressed, and she blushed again when he took a handkerchief out of his vest pocket to wipe between her thighs before helping her get her panties and jeans on. Well, it was better than being all sticky down there. When he finished with that, he slipped her boots on for her and put his hands around her waist to help her hop down from the counter. Still completely nude himself and not seeming to care, he gave her another smooch and then began to dress himself. Rhiannon watched with quiet admiration, and she winced when she saw the red marks where she'd scratched his torso.

"Maybe we should put something on those scratches," she suggested, concerned.

He glanced down at them as he buckled his belt, and he just winked at her and shook his head. "It'll be fine. You didn't draw blood or anything. The last girlfriend I saw did a lot worse."

Recalling the knife scar on his shoulder, her gaze went to it and a peculiar feeling arose within her. It wasn't jealousy, but something else.

"I'll stab her right back if I ever see her," promised Rhiannon suddenly, her mouth speaking her thoughts aloud. She gave a little start and blushed deeper when he raised his brows at her. "Well, I will. She deserves it for doing that to you."

He gave her an almost boyish smile. "Awe, Rhia...are you protective of me?"

She shrugged and pulled her hoodie tighter, looking out the window. "Maybe. Just a little."

He pulled his shirt on and approached her, still smiling like that at her. "That's sweet, and you're so cute." He pulled her into an embrace and kissed her forehead. "See? Told you there's a pirate in you waiting to get out."

Rhiannon giggled softly. "You're never going to let that go, are you?"

He shook his head. "Nope." Pulling away from her, he procured his guns and secured the holsters again, before putting on his vest and grabbing his hat. "One of these days you'll see it, and I'll be there to say I told you so. Ready for the rest of your tour?"

Tristan opened the door and offered his hand to her, prepared to help her down the stairs. Rhiannon took it and nodded, smiling up at him. "Aye, Captain Hunter."

* * *

After being shown the crew's sleeping quarters, the larder, the kitchen and the mess hall, Rhiannon got introduced to more of Tristan's crew and they had a bowl of stew each. Tristan explained that they'd at least had time to restock supplies a bit while in Valkyrie Falls, but she shouldn't get used to too many hearty meals of this sort. When the fresh meat and vegetables ran out, they'd start on the salted fish, dried rations and grain. He explained that scurvy was one of the biggest dangers of being out at sea for too long. While they could always catch more fish as a food supply, a lack of nutritional variety could lead to mouth sores and illness.

"Has that ever happened to you before?" asked Rhiannon as she finished her serving of stew.

"Only once," he answered, washing down his last bite with some ale. "It was a long time ago, back before I had my own ship. Our food stores got contaminated and we had to dump a lot of it into the ocean. Didn't have much left except hardtack and fish. Lucky for me the ship had a doctor on it and he gave everyone with scurvy symptoms vitamin shots and treatment. Mine didn't get nearly as bad as I've seen some people get it."

Rhiannon winced in sympathy. "And do you have a doctor on board?"

"Oh yeah." Tristan nodded. "That's pretty much a requirement for any ship, unless the captain's an idiot. Shit happens out there and crew get hurt or sick. Gotta take care of 'em if I want to keep the ship afloat, right?"

"Right," she agreed with a smile. "So what's his name? Doc?"

Tristan grinned back. "Kevin."

"Really?" she raised her eyebrows. "I expected everyone on this ship to have some kind of pirate name. Just 'Kevin'?"

He laughed and nodded. "He doesn't want a pirate name. Just wants to stick with his own."

"So what's the point behind them?" Rhiannon picked up her cup to take a sip of juice. "The pirate names, I mean? Is it just for fun or do they serve a purpose?"

"Well, they _are_ fun, but they serve a more practical reason than shits and giggles. They protect our identity. Some scalawags don't care, but I encourage most of my crew to take a pirate name instead of shouting everyone's real name all the time."

"But what difference does the name you go by make if you get caught by authorities or enemies? Caught is caught, right?"

Tristan nodded. "Yeah, but if they don't know your real identity, they can't use it to track down your family."

Rhiannon paused and stared at him. "Oh. I...didn't even think of that."

He smiled. "You're a newbie, so it's all good. A lot of people don't think of that, until someone they care about gets killed by enemies or used as leverage against them. It also protects them from the authorities trying to get information out of them or force them to testify in court against their outlaw relatives or associates."

She bit her lip. "So then is Tristan Hunter your real name, or a pseudo name you made up?"

"Oh, it's my real name. I've never used another one and people already know who I am, so there's not much point in changing it now. Maybe I would have when I first started if I'd thought about it, but that ship sailed years ago."

She smiled softly. "Do you have any family to worry about?"

He nodded. "Two daughters; Caroline and Edin. I don't really _worry_ about them though, because they're living under a different surname and it would be pretty damned hard to connect me to them, seeing as I've never seen either of them in person. They don't know I'm their Dad. It's better off staying that way too, if you want to know the truth."

Her brow crinkled. "You've never even gotten to hold your own daughters? Never get to see them?"

"I got to hold them both when they were born," he corrected, "but that was about it. I send their mothers money to make sure all their needs are provided for and I send gifts on their birthdays—which are from their moms as far as they know. I...look, it's not that I don't want to be there for them. It's just safer for them this way, and I'd rather my girls be safe and happy and ignorant of my existence than directly involved in my life and killed."

"I...see." She found it confusing, but there were plenty of other kids out there being raised by single parents. "Are you still involved with their mothers?"

He shook his head. "Nope. They both married someone else, and the girls believe those guys are their father. I'm fine with that, because their dads love them and give them what I can't."

She was trying not to judge him, but it still seemed selfish to her. "And those are the only kids you have—that you know of?"

Tristan looked into his mug. "Used to have a son. Connor."

"' _Used to'_? What happened to him?"

He looked into her eyes. "He's the reason I never gave my daughter's my name. Remember what I said about enemies finding and hurting your family to get to you?"

She nodded, a sinking feeling growing in the pit of her stomach.

He looked away and pressed his lips together briefly, his hand tightening around his mug. "He'd be twelve now if they hadn't traced him. I left him with a nanny while I went out to see to transport some goods through a trade route. Came home to find both of them dead. Hung by the ceiling with a note warning I'd be next if I kept taking business away from the Rippers."

Rhiannon's hand went to her mouth, and her vision blurred. "Oh, gods. Tristan I'm...I'm sorry. I had no idea."

"How could you? It's not like I ever told you before." Seeing the way she wiped at her eyes, his expression softened and he scooted closer on the bench to put an arm around her. "Hey, you didn't do anything wrong by asking. I could have kept it under my hat if I wanted to, but I chose to share it with you. Guess I just wanted you to understand my position a little better."

She sniffed and fanned her eyes with one hand, willing them to stop tearing up. "But it might not have come up if I hadn't been giving you that judgy look about your boys."

Tristan chuckled, though it lacked the usual droll quality for obvious reasons. "Any time I think of the girls, I think of Conner, too. Like I said; I didn't have to answer your question. It happened long enough ago that I can talk about it without drinking myself into a stupor now, so don't be upset."

She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder, taking his hand and putting it in her lap to hold it. "When did it...happen?"

"Ten years ago." He took another swallow of his ale, but he didn't guzzle it.

"So he was only two," she reasoned, doing the math. "How old are your girls?"

"Four and six." He smirked ruefully. "Even though I'm not part of their lives the way I'd have liked to be, they healed my heart a little. Just holding them for a while after they came out helped me let go of my rage. I got the bastards responsible for Connor's death, but it didn't make the rage go away. My girls did that for me."

Rhiannon found the sentiment beautiful, and she took her head off his shoulder to gaze at his face thoughtfully. "You have kind of a deep side underneath all that laughter. I wonder what kind of man I would have met if I'd run into you before that happened."

Tristan smiled at her, and there was a hint of sadness in the expression. He gave her hand a squeeze as he answered. "You'd have met almost the same guy, but with a shorter temper. It's the person I was _after_ that happened I'd have never wanted you to meet. Up until my first daughter was born, I was an asshole. I had nothing left but my anger, and I'm really glad you never got to meet that guy."

"Well, that guy's a part of you, even if he was only around for a few years," she reasoned. "You wouldn't be who you are now if it weren't for him, so he had a purpose too. I used to hate the person I was when I was with Chip, but that scared, helpless victim was someone I had to be for a while in order to get where I am now."

The pirate stared at her quietly, until she felt the urge to squirm and blush under the scrutiny. "Did...I say something wrong? Did any of that make sense except in my own head?"

A slow smile returned to his lips, and he brought her hand to his lips and kissed the top of it. "I just really like the way you think, and the way you explain your thoughts. It's refreshing and kind of comforting, the way you have all these big, complicated thoughts but you make them sound so simple when you describe them."

She thought of the way he'd told her just because life was complicated didn't mean one had to have a complicated outlook on it. Maybe the two of them were more alike than she thought. "Well, I just confuse myself if I try to over-explain anything."

He chuckled. "You're fucking adorable."

* * *

When she got back to the captain's quarters she'd be sharing with Tristan, Rhiannon was reminded of one problem she hadn't considered, when she made the decision to take Captain Hunter up on his offer and travel with him.

She'd forgotten to notify any of her friends.

She realized this when she reached into her purse for her pick so that she could work out some of the tangles in her hair before showering, and she saw her cell phone blinking in the depths. "Oh, no."

She checked her messages and found five texts from Trinity, two from Auric and two more from Kylie. As she read through them, she groaned. Great...they all thought she'd been abducted, since she hadn't been seen since all the pirates cleared out and people saw her hanging out with Tristan.

"She's gonna kill me," predicted Rhiannon as she began texting back to Trinity. She tried to send it, and she got an error message. "Oh crap...no service."

They were too far out from land for her to get telephone service. She knew the ship was equipped with satellite phones that could get service when cellular phones couldn't, but did she _really_ want to talk to her friends and explain everything, right now?

"But they'll worry," she sighed, biting her lip. It would be selfish to just leave them worrying about her, regardless of how much she dreaded the lecture she'd doubtlessly get from her. With another groan, she decided to hold off on her shower and go ask for access to a phone so that she could at least let her friends know she was safe.

* * *

Tristan was happy to let her use the phone in the bridge, and he listened quietly as Rhiannon called the first person on her list and explained where she was. He suppressed his laughter and was grateful that his back was to her as she tried to describe what had happened. The poor girl kept digging herself deeper with her friend, and she was getting more flustered by the moment.

"Well, when you say it _that_ way it sounds stupid," Rhiannon was saying to the woman on the other line. "I didn't just swim out to the ship, climb up and offer myself as crew entertainment! He _asked_ me to come. No...well, yeah. The authorities were looking for them, but it wasn't anything serious. Um...maybe. Well, he's my friend! You don't even know him and—yes I _do_! We talk between visits so it's not like he's a stranger. I won't. It _will_ , I promise. Everything's going to be fine, Trin, and this isn't remotely like my situation with Chip. _Yes_ , he gave me a choice...I already told you that. Well no, I didn't pack. It was kind of last minute, so we're going to pick me up some clothes at the next port."

Rhiannon sighed and listened for a while, evidently getting buried under a lecture and unable to get another word in edgewise, for a moment. Just as Tristan was starting to wonder if he ought to intervene and speak to her friend, Rhiannon spoke again. "I'll find another job. I can even return to the studio, if I need to. I'll be fine. Yes, I know it doesn't look good on the work history, so I guess I'll have to come up with some— _what_? I'm not going to tell my boss I got kidnapped! Because it's not true and he'll have even more trouble with the law if I go with that excuse!"

"Uh, cutie patootie, I hate to butt in, but I think your friend has a good idea," hedged Tristan after a moment's thought.

Rhiannon looked at him, startled. "No way. I'm not throwing you under the bus just to avoid getting a bad mark on my resume for quitting without notice. I couldn't sleep at night knowing you were in trouble with the law because of me."

He _did_ laugh, then. "Baby, I'm a pirate. I'm _always_ in trouble with the law. Even if they put kidnapping charges on my list of whoopsies, it's not going to make much of a difference. Just make sure they know the sex was consensual, if it comes up."

Rhiannon's eyes widened and she clamped her hand over the phone's receiver. "Shhh! Don't mention the s-e-x, Tristan!"

"Uh, I'm sure your friend can spell, and she probably already knows about the s-e-x if you've told her about me before," he pointed out.

Wincing, Rhiannon put the phone back to her ear. "Yes, Trin. I know. I _know_. He...he thinks your right. I have to think about it. Look, I don't know when I'll be back but I'm going to be fine, and I'll try to keep you updated so you guys don't worry. Please let Auric know for me and if anyone else asks, just say I took a spontaneous rode trip and I'll make sure my bills get paid while I'm gone, if I get any before I come back. I use electronic billing so nobody needs to check my mailbox, all right? All I ever get is junk mail anyhow. Oh, right. Yeah, that's a good point. Just clean out my mailbox a couple of times a week if you don't mind. Okay. I promise, I'll be careful. He won't, Trin. He's not like that. Okay, I love you and give Auric a hug and a kiss for me, will you? Thanks, Trinity. I'll call you in a couple of days."

She hung the phone back up on its cradle and sighed, rubbing her forehead. "That was exhausting. I don't even have the energy to call Auric after that. He won't be as hard on me as she was but he's sure to have a billion questions—most of them about sex."

"Auric," repeated Tristan, thinking. "He's the sorcerer, right?"

"Uh-huh. He's also really nosey about people's love lives and a hopeless romantic. He's a real sweetheart, though. I don't know what would have happened to me, if it weren't for him and Trinity. She can be a little harsh and go into 'Mommy mode' sometimes, but it's just because she knows what I've been through and she doesn't want to see me hurt or wind up in another bad relationship again."

He nodded in understanding. "Sounds like you've got a group of really good friends. That's good to know. You look kind of tense, though. Come here."

She walked over to the helm as requested, and he turned her around so he could massage her shoulders a bit. He smiled when she hummed in pleasure and bowed her head, her auburn curls falling forward over her eyes.

"I'm glad you've got people in your life that are willing to step up and take care of you if and when you need it, Rhia."

She lifted her head again. "You worry about me too?"

Tristan shrugged. "Sometimes, yeah. I'll probably do it more often after finding out about your ex, but knowing you've got people to turn to helps."

She turned around and looked up at him with a little smile. "I never thought you'd worry about me."

"What, did you think I just forget about you every time I leave Valkyrie Falls? You've got a way of sticking in my mind, kiddo."

She lowered her gaze shyly. "Do you worry about your other girlfriends too?"

"A couple of them, yeah. Not the same way, though. I'm always worried one of them is going to kick my ass next time I see her, and the other one has some habits I'm afraid might get out of control and swallow her up."

"Drug habits?" guessed Rhiannon.

"Yeah. She likes hallucinogenics a little too much, and she also likes her opium. Sometimes I worry she'll walk off a ledge or something cause she's too high to pay attention."

"Let's hope not," sighed Rhiannon. "And the other one? I thought you dumped the violent one."

He chuckled. "Different girlfriend. The one that knifed me was psychotic. The one that could kill me with her pinky just likes to get rough now and then. She's also into bdsm, and one time I forgot my safe word and—"

"Okay, I get it," interrupted Rhiannon, blushing charmingly again. "I don't need to hear the details."

"Awe, you aren't getting jealous, are you?" He grinned teasingly at her.

"No, just uncomfortable with detailed descriptions of other people's sexcapades." She looked over at the instrument panel absently. "I'm not like Auric; I like romance and all, but I don't read smut or need a graphic replay of what people do in the sack together."

He gave her shoulders another squeeze. "All right, I won't go into all the gory details. Hey, if you're really tense, you could run a bath instead of a shower and have a warm soak. The tub in my bathroom isn't that big, but it's deep enough and long enough to submerge in if you keep your legs bent."

"Hmm, I might do that, then," she sighed. "Um, do you have any conditioner? I hate to be pesky, but I kind of need to use it when I wash my hair or it will dry all frizzy—especially in this salty sea air."

"Sure I have some. It's right in the shower rack next to the shampoo. I don't usually need to use it on my hair but I use it on my face sometimes after doing some touch-up shave. Helps keep skin irritation down."

"Oh really? I'll have to remember to try that sometime, myself. Not on my face. I mean on my underarms and legs and um...other parts I shave." She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, Tristan. You're a life saver. I might try to go to sleep after I get cleaned up, so I don't know if I'll be awake when you come back in."

"Probably not. I'll be monitoring our trajectory here for a couple of hours before Lotus comes in to take over. I'd put it on auto-pilot, but with the keel messed up, she might drift off course. Last thing we need to do is end up out in deep waters, without a spit of land in site to moor at if something goes wrong."

"She's not taking on water, is she?" Rhiannon's brow furrowed with concern.

"Only a little, but we've got crew taking shifts monitoring the bilge pumps to make sure it doesn't get any worse, and Blinky did a few minor repairs with his magic to tide us over 'till landfall. We ought to reach the next port by morning, so don't worry."

"Well okay," she said hesitantly, "but if I wake up knee-deep in water I might panic a little."

He smiled. "That won't happen, gorgeous. I wouldn't have brought you on this ship if I thought it might sink on you."

That seemed to reassure her, and she gave his hands a thankful squeeze before taking her leave. He watched her go and he sighed, admiring the way her curls bounced against her back and her cute little fanny. Once he was alone again, he checked the instrument panels and radar. The Sea Lion was holding steady and true on its course. He reflected on the situation as he sat down in the pilot's seat, as surprised himself by his spontaneous decision to convince her to travel with them as she had been. All of his lovers knew he wasn't a one woman man. Most of them didn't want to know the details about the other ladies in his life. Hell, most of them didn't like to do much talking at all when he came visiting. It was purely sexual, and while he always had fun with them, he never got into deep conversations with them.

But Rhiannon Argyle was another matter. She listened to him, she worried about him, and she even tried to protect him. He still wasn't entirely sure she didn't mind his other dalliances, but at least she hadn't demonstrated any desire to tie him down or get angry with him when he mentioned other girlfriends.

It then dawned on him that out of all of them, Rhiannon was the only one that felt like a friend as much as a lover. He used the term "friends with benefits" sometimes to describe his relationships with his other partners, but with her it really seemed to fit.

"Huh. So _that's_ what it's like," he muttered.

Had Captain Hunter been the sort of man to recognize the signs, he might have turned the ship around and returned Rhiannon to Valkyrie Falls immediately out of sheer terror. Having never committed to a single woman before in his life, however, he was blind to the true nature of his and Rhiannon's growing bond.

* * *

-To be continued


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

 

Rhiannon nearly decided to sleep in the nude that night, seeing as she had no nightshirt or gown to wear to bed. Her modesty returned with Tristan's absence though, so she opted to sleep in her bra and panties. True to the captain's estimate, they arrived at port in New Tariff the next morning. Rhiannon woke up at the sound of the horn going off, and she was briefly disoriented and a little startled to feel the warmth of a male body spooned up against her back. She blinked down at the arm around her waist and it took her a moment to recall where she was and who she was with. He stirred when the horn went off again, and she tensed involuntarily when his lips brushed against her ear, kissing it in greeting.

"Morning," he yawned, seeming not to notice the way she'd stiffened for a second.

She relaxed and turned her head to smile up at him as he propped himself up on his elbow and scrubbed his fingers through his mussed, silver highlighted hair. "Hey, you. For a minute, I thought I'd just dreamt all this."

Tristan smiled at her. "Nope. You're really here, and we'll get you some clothes today while the crew works on the ship."

"How long will we be staying?" She sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

His fingertips traced patterns on her hip and she shivered a little at the sensual touch, goosebumps rising on her flesh. "A day...maybe two. Depends how bad the damage is. We've got an idea but we won't know just how much work has to be done until we can get her to the shipyard and have a better look."

"Right." She felt another shiver coming on as his caressing fingers glided over her hip bone and down, subtly making their way under the lace of her panties. "Are you trying to get fresh with me, Captain Hunter?"

He smiled and tugged gently on her earlobe with his teeth. "Mm, now that you mention it, I'm feeling kind of frisky."

She felt the evidence of that pressing against her backside, and it occurred to her that while she'd slept in underwear, he had not. The shiver became a thrill of desire, and she bit her lip as his hand burrowed into her panties. His middle finger began to move gently, finding the sensitive little nub it was after to rub it coaxingly. A little gasp escaped her lips and her eyes fluttered shut.

"You...are you sure we should be playing around right now? I m-mean the crew will probably be expecting you on deck, right?"

"We've got time," he murmured, pressing little kisses on her neck and shoulder. "They've still got to pay the fee for use of the shipyard and guide the ship in. Plenty of time for a little morning loving and a quick shower."

Remembering again how long he could go at it once he got started, she doubted the man was capable of a "quickie". She started to suggest that they save it for later when they get room and board for the night or return to the ship, but his insistent ministrations made coherent thought of any sort difficult to come by. His mouth claimed hers in a kiss as she parted her lips, and she moaned.

Well, so much for saving it for later.

* * *

About an hour later, Tristan was standing on deck with Rhiannon, giving instructions to the crew and discussing repairs. "All right, so I'll go into town with Rhia to get her some clothes, and we'll pick up more supplies for the larder while we're there. Skidder, you come with; we'll need some extra hands to carry the goods back. Lotus, how's the cargo doing?"

"Nothing got damaged," she answered. "The crates are still water-tight and I checked the contents this morning when I got up."

"Good. I'll get in touch with our buyers and let them know we'll be a little delayed, but only by three days, tops."

"And how can you be sure about that?" queried Tam in his softly accented voice. "We've no idea how long it will take to complete repairs, Cap'n."

"I'm just making a guestimate," answered Tristan with a shrug. "If we're a little later than that, I don't think they'll have a meltdown. They want what we're selling 'em too much to kick up much of a fuss. Worst we might have to deal with is extra haggling over the price."

A few of the crew sighed, and Tristan adjusted his hat a little and slipped on a pair of shades. "Hey, no belly-aching. Even if we have to take a little cut in our profits, we're still making a shit-ton with this haul. Now get to work, and try not to get too drunk on rum while you're at it. I haven't forgotten the last time Blinky went ass-up into the drink and we had to fish him out before he drowned. Rhia, Skidder, you're with me. Let's get some grub and get our shopping done."

Rhiannon looked at him curiously, wondering just what the hell they were shipping and to whom. She knew better than to ask, though. It was probably best she remain ignorant. Falling into step with the two men, she thanked the captain softly as she stepped onto the boarding ramp and he offered his hand to help her onto the dock. Skidder stepped off next, and they walked to the end of the dock and onto the street. She stopped and blinked when she got her first good view of the layout of the canal city. She'd heard that New Tariff was once the pirate capital of Avras and people got around on gondolas, but she'd never been there before.

"Oh cool!" she enthused as Tristan walked down the steps leading to the walkway lining the canal. He put some coins into one of anchoring poles to unlock the boat attached to it. "So you just rent a boat for the day and float around the city?"

"That's the gist of it," confirmed Tristan, flashing a smile her way. He climbed in with the grace of one accustomed to riding in water vessels, and he took her hand again to help her in and keep her steady. "Most of the residents have their own gondolas to get around, but they put these rental boats at the docks and the north end of the canals for visitors and residents to rent. The canals end at the northern part of the city, where it expands further inland."

Skidder nodded, tightening the bandanna tied around his head under his tricorn. "That's where the roads start and the water ends. It's the newest section of the city and it's where all the modern housing and buildings are. You'll be able to see the interstate from the middle of New Tariff, if we end up going in that far."

"I think we'll stick to the canals," mused Tristan. "Get what we need and bring it back so we can help with repairs...unless you want to do a little sight-seeing while we're here, Rhiannon. I'd go with you but like you said earlier; I've got an obligation to my ship and crew."

"I understand." She smiled. "Who knew you had a sense of responsibility?"

"Cap'n's just showing off," snorted Skidder, "tryin' to impress you, is all."

"Hey, I can be responsible," protested Tristan as Rhiannon chuckled. "I just like to have fun while I'm doing it! I know how to prioritize when I've got to."

Thinking of how he'd "prioritized" that morning, Rhiannon was reminded of the faint ache between her legs and she hoped she wasn't walking funny. "Suuure you do."

The pirate captain smirked at her. "Time management, sweetheart. I've got it down to an art. So, what kind of clothes are you after? We should pick you up something saucy so you can dress like a wench."

"I can't get much done if I'm wearing a skirt and one of those corset things," she pointed out. "I don't even know if I could breathe in something like that."

"Meh, you don't need a corset. Maybe a bodice to go over a blouse. That'd look good on you and wear comfortably. You saw what Lotus was wearing today. Something like that."

She sighed, but she couldn't resist a smile at his enthusiasm. "If you think I'm going to do table dances and let you drink shots from my cleavage, you've got another thing coming."

Both men laughed, and Tristan started pushing the gondola along the canal. "We can find you something sensible, Rhia. A good pair of pants and boots, a nice blouse and a bodice. Maybe a hat, too. It's up to you if you want a dress or chemise. It's my treat. When we finish there I'll take you to a regular clothing shop for you to grab some things you're more used to."

She had to admit, it did sound fun to dress up as a pirate. She really liked the boots most of his crew wore, and the bodice that Lotus had on today looked comfortable enough. "All right, you win. I'll let you pick out some pirate stuff for me and I'll try it on."

"Thatta girl."

* * *

"Oh wow...this really _is_ comfortable," observed Rhiannon a short time later, after getting her measurements taken and trying on the outfit suggested by the clerk. She liked the way the blouse fit, and the almost sensual way the boots fit her feet and calves.

"So come out already and let us see you," called Tristan.

She stepped out of the dressing room with a shy grin and she spun around in a circle to give him a full view of the ensemble. Tristan whistled in approval and walked over to her, running his hands over the ruffled, gathered sleeves of her blouse "Looks great on you, sweet puff."

"You think so?" She brushed her hands over the black ladies' breeches that fit her loosely, allowing full, unrestricted movement. "I half expected something skin-tight, with more skin exposed."

"Hey, that can be arranged too," offered Tristan with a brow waggle.

She laughed and shook her head. "No, I like this. Hey, where did Skidder go?"

"He went to pick up a few things from the electronics shop across the canal. He'll meet up with us when we go to the market for food supplies."

"Oh. Well, do you think this needs anything?"

He scratched his beard as he looked her over. Maybe a sash. What color do you like?"

She shrugged. "Gray, I guess."

"Really? I'd have guessed pink or purple."

"What can I say?" She shrugged. "I've always been a little bit of a tomboy."

"Heh, _that_ I kind of guessed the first day I met you and you told me you used to love jumping off your roof when you were growing up."

She giggled. "You remember that? It used to scare the dickens out of my mom."

"Oh yeah, I remember that." he gave her bottom a subtle little pinch. "I like daredevil women. Well, let's get you a sash to complete this, and then we can go and get your other stuff."

* * *

Rhiannon wore her new clothes out of the store and stuffed what she'd been wearing before in the shopping bag. They went to a common clothing store after that and she purchased more undergarments, socks a few shirts and pants, a couple of nighties, a bathing suit and of course, some shoes and a jacket. She avoided overdoing it and she tried to go for practicality over fashion. She didn't need to dress like she was going clubbing. She needed comfortable things to wear and an assortment of both light and warm clothes. Now feeling a little less out of place amongst her pirate companions, she accompanied Tristan to the market and they met up with Skidder to get the groceries and have a bite to eat. Once they picked up what they needed for the larders, they went back to the ship.

"Now remember, if you want to go have a better look around after you put your booty away, there's an information kiosk at the end of the dock," advised Tristan. "Do you have a GPS app on your phone?"

Rhiannon nodded, shifting the shopping bags she was carrying. "Yeah. I wouldn't mind a little sight-seeing, but you said we'll be here for at least a day, right? I can put off looking around until tomorrow and help out on the ship today."

He smiled at her. "There's not much to do right now, baby. All the heavy stuff will be going on today and some of it's pretty dangerous, if you don't know what you're doing. I mean I can show you how some of it's done sometime, but I don't want you getting hurt messing with construction shit that you've never worked on before. Why don't you go have some fun and look around today, and you can help tomorrow with painting and applying sealant?"

"Are you sure?" She hated feeling like she had nothing to contribute, even if he did insist that she was their guest.

"Absolutely." Tristan lifted the shopping bags he carried. "So let's get these put away in my quarters and make sure your navigation app is up to date. If you want something to do for the crew, maybe you can help cook dinner later on, or lunch if you make it back in time. Just have a good time and call me if you run into any trouble."

"Okay." She saw Lotus working a pulley system to lower some supplies to the crew members on the docks, and she felt slightly better. At least Tristan's reasons for turning down her help with repairs seemed to be genuinely out of concern for her inexperience, and not due to her gender. They went below deck together, passing other crew members on the way, and they put away her clothes in a trunk in the captain's quarters.

"Okay," said Tristan, brushing his hands off. "You're all set now so...oh, wait a minute."

Rhiannon paused in the act of checking her GPS on her phone. "What?"

He stared at her with a little frown. "Hold up a second. I've got something I want you to keep on you."

Intrigued, she watched him go to his closet to get something off the top shelf. He retrieved a case and he brought it over to the trunk bed and motioned for her to come over. She crossed the room to join him, and her eyes widened a little when he opened the case to reveal a small pearl-handled pistol. He opened the chamber to check the ammunition, before deftly flicking it shut and holding it out to her, handle-first.

"You know how to shoot one of these?"

Rhiannon stared at the gun and she swallowed, the memory of the last time she'd actually heard gunshots outside of television coming back to haunt her. "I understand the basics, yeah. I'm not a crack shot or anything, though."

"Well, this is a five round revolver," he explained. "Safety button's right here, see?"

She nodded as he pointed out the safety lock.

"All you've got to do is flick it up like this—" He noticed her flinch when he did so, and he tugged his shades off to look her in the eye. "Hey, are you okay?"

Rhiannon nodded convulsively, but she still regarded the firearm like it was a snake about to strike. Tristan tilted his head a little. "You've seen my guns before. You've even handled 'em, and they're bigger than this tiny thing. What's going on, Rhia?"

She took her gaze off him and she looked down at the gun again. "It's just...Chip's gun was about that size. He fired it at us once—Trin and I, that is. We were leaving in a taxi and...and...I'm sorry. It doesn't even look like his, not really. His was a semi-automatic and not pretty like this one. I guess it just gave me a knee-jerk reaction."

"Hmm. Well, if you're not too spooked to handle it, I want you to take it with you. Keep it in your purse and don't hesitate to use it if anyone tries to fuck with you."

"You think someone will try to fu—er...mess with me?"

"Eh, it's New Tariff. The canal district has a few shady characters in it, but most of them come out at night. I don't want you to worry, but I'd rather be safe than sorry."

She eyed the gun again. It was a sweet gesture on his part, offering her something so obviously valuable as a source of protection. "It really is a nice gun," she murmured, "but it doesn't really make me feel more...secure. Maybe some mace?"

He shook his head. "Nuh-uh. I maced myself once by accident and I never even looked at that stuff again. Come on, Rhiannon, just keep it on you. You can shoot an attacker right through your purse before he gets his hands on you, if you need to."

She offered him a tremulous smile and she gingerly took the weapon from his hand, only to place it gently back in its open case. She rose to her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "I appreciate it, Tristan...I really do, but I can defend myself if I need to—even if I don't look like it. I'll be careful and I won't go down any alleys, okay? I'll come back before it starts getting dark."

"Hmph...well, I guess I can't force you." He sighed and shut the case. "If you won't take the gun, make sure you've got me on quick dial on your contact list. If you're in a situation where you can't talk, send me an 'sos' text and I'll come running."

Her smile was more genuine this time, and she hugged him. "It's a deal. I hope you're not disappointed."

He shook his head and gave her a squeeze. "Nah, I'm just trying to take care of my snuggles. If the revolver makes you nervous, I won't push it on you. Let me know if you ever decide you want some shooting lessons, though."

She nodded and gave him another affectionate kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, I will. I guess I'll get going now. I won't stay out all day and I'll be happy to help feed the crew when I get back."

"All right, cutie. Time for me to get to work, then."

* * *

She just had to jinx herself, didn't she? Here she was thinking Tristan was just being an over-protective teddy bear, and lo and behold, merely one hour out on her own Rhiannon got the distinct feeling that she was being followed. She glanced over her shoulder as she passed by a florist shop, and she spotted a figure ducking into the alley a block away. She thought maybe being dressed like a pirate would deter anyone from trying anything, but she was beginning to appreciate his warning about the dangers of the canal district.

Hoping that Tristan's talk with her just had her being paranoid, she kept walking. The hair at the back of her neck stood up, and she glanced over her shoulder again to see the same figure vanish between buildings.

"Crap," muttered the petite beautician, and she turned down another sidewalk and started to look for an available gondola to rent. She heard footsteps following behind her and she picked up the pace, taking a quick look around to get some street names. She dug her phone out of her purse and brought up her contact list to call Tristan. Like he'd said earlier: it was better to be safe than sorry. Better to be embarrassed over needing rescue than end up mugged, raped or killed.

"Come on," she muttered as she waited for him to pick up. She feared she'd get his voicemail in a moment, but then his familiar, blessed voice answered.

"Yo-ho, kiddo." He sounded a little out of breath. "Everything okay?"

"Actually I'm not sure," she said in a low voice. "I think some guy's following me. I'm on Cobble, coming up on Old Mill. I just past a florist shop and I see a book store up ahead of me."

"All right, I know where that is," he answered, his voice losing it's cheerful tone. "Go into the bookstore and stay there 'till I come, Rhia. If this guy's after you, he's not going to try anything in front of other people."

She nodded in agreement. "Got it. Please hurry and...I'm sorry for being such a pain in the rear."

"No baby, you're not a pain in the ass. You're doing just what I said you should do if you felt threatened, and that's good." He said something to someone in the background, and his voice huffed as if he'd started running. "Just tell the bookstore clerk what's going on and don't go anywhere."

"Okay." She hung up with him and prepared to go into the bookstore—only to find that it was closed until noon. She pulled on the door handle anyway and peered through the barred window, hoping to see a clerk and get their attention. The place was empty, and all the lights were off.

"Oh, shit."

Rhiannon started to back-track and try the florist shop, but she saw the man approaching. He was wearing a red sash and a black outfit. A cutlass hung from the left side of his waist, and a gun was holstered on the right side. His head was covered by a red bandana and his blue eyes met hers. He smiled, and it wasn't a pleasant looking smile meant to inspire warmth. It was cold, and whether he had any intention of laying hands on her or not, she sure as heck didn't want to go back that way and cross his path.

The gun Tristan had offered her was looking better and better right now, and she wished she hadn't been such a chicken about taking it.

* * *

Tristan hastily told his crew he was going to look for Rhiannon and to keep working unless he contacted them for backup. He jumped off the ship without bothering to use the boarding ramp, landing on the docks below with a little huff. He began to sprint over the dock, holding his hat with one hand to keep it from flying off and cursing as he ran. He never should have let her go back into the city without an escort. He'd told her he worried about his other girlfriends too, but truthfully he never worried about their safety like he did hers. Finding out what her ex put her through just magnified his protective feelings, and as he jumped into a gondola and paid the fee to unlock it, he knew he'd never forgive himself if she got hurt.

"Hunter, you dumbass," he muttered as he propelled the boat down the canal as fast as he could. "Drag her along with you and then leave her wandering through a dangerous city alone. Real fucking prince."

Maybe she just got scared and imagined things, or maybe the guy she thought was following her gave up when she went into the book store. He found the street she'd said she was on and he hopped out of the gondola before it even stopped moving, taking the steps up to the upper sidewalk three at a time. He paused only for a moment to look around and get his bearings and figure out which direction he needed to go, and then he ran down the right side of the street. After a short while he spotted Rhiannon up ahead, and he wondered what she was still doing outside. Then he saw the way she was struggling, and it became clear to him. There was a man trying to drag her down the intersecting street. He had hold of her left wrist to keep her from running, and he was beginning to reach for his gun.

 _~A Ripper,~_ realized the pirate captain when he saw the sash and the cut of the man's clothes. He reached for his own firearms urgently, ready to pepper Rhiannon's attacker full of bullets before the Ripper could draw his gun on the girl to threaten her further. Tristan saw a couple of people on the other side of the canal and he wanted to shout at them for just watching, not lifting a finger to help. They looked scared though, and it occurred to him that they were just civilians—seniors, at that. The woman at least had produced her phone and he assumed she was calling local authorities.

"Rhiannon, get down," yelled Tristan as he freed his guns and took aim.

Suddenly the young woman's free hand shot out and her palm rammed into her assailant's throat, right about where his Adam's apple was. He gagged and stopped reaching for his gun to put his hand over the area, and Rhiannon took the opportunity to grab his other forearm, turn it quickly and drive her palm into the back of his elbow. The ripper lost his hold on her wrist and made a choked sound of additional pain, going to his knees and pulling his injured arm in closer to his chest. Rhiannon's boot swiftly met his face, and he fell back onto the cobbles and lay unmoving, his nose pouring blood.

Tristan skidded to a stop and he stared at her, hardly believing this girl that probably only weighed ninety pounds soaking wet had just managed to take down a guy twice her size. It wasn't even so much her small build that made it so surprising. One of his other girlfriends wasn't much bigger and _she_ could whoop ass like that. What surprised him about it was how out of character it seemed for his sweet, chipper little redhead—who seemed so easily intimidated by males—to pull off moves like that.

She was breathing heavily as she stared down at the man she'd felled, and she finally noticed Tristan's presence as she looked back up. She looked scared as hell, but exhilarated at the same time. She almost looked like she was in a state of shock; like she could hardly believe what she'd just done, either.

"See?" she gasped as he holstered his guns and approached. She gestured at the bad guy. "T-told you I can take c-care of myself, when I have to."

He began to smile, too relieved that she was okay to question why the hell she didn't get into the bookshop like they agreed. "Well go on with your bad self. I am _damned_ impressed, you little powder keg."

Her smile faltered a little as he drew close, and he saw how badly she was starting to shake. She laughed, but there was a slightly hysterical edge to it. Her laugh turned into a little sob and she threw her arms around him, burying her face against his chest.

"S-sorry," she choked.

Tristan put his arms around her and rocked her, stroking her hair. "Nothing to be sorry for. Hey, it's over. You're safe now and hells, you didn't even _need_ me to rescue you."

"B-but I did," she insisted. "This kind of r-rescue, I mean. I c-can fight when cornered, b-but when it's over I just...come apart. So you just _being_ here is rescuing me."

He kind of understood, but not completely. The poor thing was shaking like a leaf, and he had to wonder what sort of nightmares it brought back, for her to be grabbed like that by a strange man. "Did he say anything to you, sweetheart?"

She turned her head a little to tearfully look at the vanquished man lying on his back. "He...he mentioned something about price. That I w-would fetch a nice price, with my hair."

At once he realized what must have happened, and he felt a sense of rage that he hadn't experienced in years. A slave trafficker. Rippers were well known for abducting children and young people with characteristics they thought might bring a handsome price on the black market, and the more exotic the look, the better. Curly red hair was certainly exotic by Ocathian standards, and conversely, the intense array of eye colors that Ocathians boasted tended to attract interested Avran slave traders.

The thought of Rhiannon being drugged and waking up tied to a bed in some brothel made the unexpected rage well up again inside of him. Tristan abruptly released his hold around her waist and he drew his gun, taking aim at the unconscious scum that had threatened her.

"Tristan, no!" She grabbed his arm before he could shoot, her glistening eyes pleading on him. "You can't just shoot him in broad daylight!"

"Why not?" he asked simply. "He tried to kidnap _you_ in broad daylight. Fair's fair."

"B-because it's murder," she insisted. "Please, I don't want anyone to die today. Whatever he wanted with me, he didn't g-get it and all I want to do is go. Please, Tristan? Maybe you wouldn't get in trouble for gunning down a guy like this, b-but I can't...I don't want anyone to die 'cause of me."

He tore his eyes off the villain and he looked at her. "He's a Ripper, Rhia. He doesn't deserve your mercy...especially if his plans for you were what I think they were."

"I understand h-how you feel," she told him. "I know how much you must hate them, but please...don't do it. He's no threat now...defenseless. It's just n-not right!"

His jaw clenched as he struggled inwardly. Oh, he doubted she understood. Sympathized, sure...but if she could feel the ugliness rearing up inside of him right now...

He sighed, lowering the barrel of his gun. Rhiannon didn't need to see that side of him. Hell, _he_ didn't even want to see that side of him again. He'd thought he'd buried it. "Okay, I won't kill him...only because I don't want to make you cry anymore than you already have today."

He bent over to place a kiss on her forehead, before turning away and approaching the sprawled rogue. He could hear sirens in the distance; which mean the old couple had indeed called the authorities, or someone else saw what was happening and did it. Tristan nudged the Ripper with his boot and he shrugged, getting no response. Maybe the guy really was unconscious, or maybe he was playing possum.

Without warning, Tristan raised his gun again and shot the Ripper's left kneecap, then the right one. He heard Rhiannon shriek in protest, and then she was at his side with her hands covering her mouth. He put his gun away and he looked at her.

"Guess he really _is_ knocked out."

She stared up at Tristan with huge, shocked eyes. "Y-you said you wouldn't!"

He looked back down at the bleeding rogue. "I didn't kill him. I blew his kneecaps off. He'll live." He shrugged. "Might not ever _walk_ again, but he'll live."

"Not if he bleeds out!"

Tristan put an arm around her and started to guide her away. "The fuzz is on the way, and where there's _one_ ripper, there's bound to be more. Either the law will find him first or his buddies will, but he'll make it. He's lucky I stopped at his kneecaps."

Rhiannon's knees started to buckle, and Tristan scooped her up and started carrying her. He felt a little bad for doing that in front of her. She had an innocent, generous spirit and he wasn't even sure she would have felt less charitable even if he explained exactly what that man wanted to do to her. No damned wonder she was skittish of men...they kept trying to hurt her.

* * *

Lotus and Tam were the first to run up to him when Tristan returned to the ship with his trembling passenger in his arms. "What the bloody hell _happened_?" demanded Lotus as she looked Rhiannon over.

"Is she hurt?" asked Tam.

"She's just a little shaken up," Tristan explained. "Some Ripper bastard tried to nab her right off the street...in broad fucking daylight, too."

Lotus scowled and shook her head. "Talk about balls! Oh honey, can we get you anything?" She shot a look at her captain that said she blamed it all on him, and he winced like a scolded puppy.

"I'm okay," Rhiannon assured them with a weak little smile. "I fought him off, and then Tristan was right there."

"And damned if she didn't give him the business end of some whoop ass," added Tristan with a proud grin at the girl in his arms. "You should've seen it. She was like a little ball of badassery. Clocked him in the throat, probably dislocated his elbow and then flattened his nose with her boot. He went down _fast_. It was a beautiful thing."

They stared at Rhiannon with as much surprise as Tristan had...and so did the rest of the nearby crew that overheard. Lotus grinned like a cat and she nodded at Rhiannon in approval. "Dynamite comes in small packages, right? Good on you, Rhiannon. So Cap'n, did you finish him off?"

Tristan glanced down at Rhiannon again. "Nah. I just blew his kneecaps off. He'll have a hard time threatening any more women that way again."

"What did he want with her though?" asked Blinky tactlessly.

The captain gave him a hairy eyeball. "What do you think Rippers _usually_ want from cute young things they snatch up? He probably saw her walking around alone, figured she wouldn't put up much of a fight and would make a perfect target."

Blinky grimaced. "Oh. That. Well, she's dressed like one of us. Maybe they know we're here and he thought he could hold her for ransom against us."

"He did say something about me fetching a price," sighed Rhiannon. Despite her expressed disapproval for Tristan's actions, she laid her head against his shoulder in a sweet way, as if drawing comfort from him.

Tristan thought about it. Maybe he was wrong after all. When it came to targets for the flesh traffic, Rippers usually tended to trail them, find out where they lived or were staying and either abduct them from their dwellings or wait for a moment to strike at night, when they went out somewhere. The man's reckless attempt to act in broad daylight suggested he might have indeed thought she was a member of a Wayfarer pirate crew—or was one of their wenches. Snatching her up to make a quick buck on some ransom wasn't a far-fetched possibility, and they could have always sold her on the market if that plan didn't work out.

"Doesn't matter what his motivations are," he decided aloud. "I'm taking Rhia to my quarters so she can rest. I'll be back up in a little while to get back to work, guys."

* * *

Rhiannon looked up at Tristan uncertainly as he eased her onto the bed and slipped her boots off. She'd seen something in his eyes while all that was happening...something a little scary. "Are you still mad?"

He glanced up from his task, his brows furrowing a little. "Who, me?"

She nodded.

Tristan smiled at her. "I'm not mad, puddin'-pie. At least not at you."

"You seemed to be a little, when I wouldn't let you kill that man."

He shook his head, his smile fading into something more somber. "I wasn't a bit mad at you. I was just worried. Maybe a little frustrated that you weren't in the bookstore and wouldn't let me put that maggot down, but I wasn't angry."

"I tried to go in the bookstore," she explained. She closed her eyes as he took her socks off and started rubbing her feet. "It was closed. The only other shop close was the florist I'd passed, and that guy was between me and it. I started trying to cross over to the other side of the canal to look for help, but he caught up with me and grabbed me before I could do it."

"Uh-huh. Well, that explains that. I'm just glad you're okay, and not on your way to an auction block on the other side of Wyndrah."

"So you think he was going to make me into a sex slave," she guessed, shuddering a little. She'd heard that sort of thing still went on in certain parts of the world, but the thought of it happening to her made her queasy.

"I think it's a strong possibility." He worked his way up from her heels to the balls of her feet, his strong fingers kneading them soothingly. "Happens all the time. Even in Valkyrie Falls. Some of the people reported missing end up as human cargo for some rich pervert's amusement. That's one thing that scares the hell out of me; thinking of one of my daughters getting snatched up some day like that."

"Who could blame you?" She opened her eyes to look at him again, but her vision blurred as his massaging fingers found a sweet spot on the soles of her feet. "Mmm, you're really good at massaging. I keep losing my train of thought."

"That's the whole point," he chuckled. "To take your mind off what happened and help you relax."

She smiled a little. "It was scary. Something weird happens to me when I feel cornered like that. It's like I float up out of my body or something. I get weirdly detached, but then when it's over, it's like everything I should have been feeling while it was going on just comes rushing back all at once. Delayed reaction."

Tristan nodded and began rubbing the balls of her feet, drawing a moan of appreciation from her. "It's adrenaline. People that aren't used to confrontation usually react that way. It's useful for survival if you don't panic during crisis situations, but if you get too detached you lose focus and alertness, too."

"I know," she sighed. "I wish I could stay cool as a cucumber like Trinity when I feel threatened, or crack witty jokes like you and Auric, or feel confident like Haden and Glaive...but I just sort of zone out and act on reflex. Then I come apart when it's finished, like you just saw."

"You've been through some serious shit," he excused, "more than I even guessed. You survived it though, and it's better to have a little meltdown _after_ a struggle than _during_ it. Maybe with a little more confidence you'll balance it better, someday. All I know is you kicked some major ass, and your anxiety attack afterwards didn't last all that long. Guess you weren't kidding when you told me your agent friends taught you some moves. I could ask the doc if he can give you something for jitters, if you're still feeling shaky."

"No, that's all right." She closed her eyes again. "Thank you, Tristan. That wore me out anyways. I think I might be able to take a little nap without the help of meds."

"Okay, lady bug." He stopped massaging her feet and he pulled the covers up over her to the waist. "It might get a little noisy when we start stripping off the damaged parts and replacing them, so if it starts getting to you there's a bunch of earplugs in the top drawer of my desk, over there."

"All right," she murmured, rolling onto her side and hugging the pillow. "If I'm not up by dinner time, could you wake me? I still want to help make it."

"Sure thing." He got up and he patted her rump. "Call me if you need anything."

That reminded her of something. "Tristan, where's my purse?"

"I put it right there on top of the trunk holding your clothes," he answered. "Want me to get your phone out of it and bring it to you?"

"No, that's okay." She covered her mouth on a yawn. "Night, teddy bear."

He chuckled. "Awe, you've got a pet name for me now. I like that. Sleep sweet, baby."

* * *

-To be continued


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

 

Rhiannon learned that not only was Tristan quite capable of compassion and warmth, but most of his crew was, as well. Around noontime, Tam dropped by and apologized for disturbing her rest. He brought with him a tray with a turkey and lettuce lunch wrap and a steaming cup of herbal tea that he explained had a soothing effect on the nerves. She thanked him warmly for his thoughtfulness and she ate the meal when he left. The tea she found all right, though she wasn't a fan of the beverage. After resting a little longer, she awoke again to the sounds of clanging, thumps and buzzing. She thought of taking Tristan up on his offer with the earplugs, but she shrugged it off and got out of bed.

She put her boots on and she ran a brush through her hair, before weaving it into a side braid to control frizz and keep it out of her way. She noticed something on the desk by the laptop that she hadn't seen before, and she walked over to it with a little frown of curiosity. It was a red velvet do-rag with a note on top of it. She picked up the slip of paper to read the script, and she smiled.

_"Rhia,_

_Cap'n says he forgot to get you a hat. If you're going to be a pirate, you should at least have some proper headwear. We'll find you a real hat tomorrow if you like. I didn't want to wake you up, so I put it somewhere I thought you might see it._

_-Lotus"_

Rhiannon chuckled and shook her head. "I give up," she sighed. "If they all want me to be a pirate so bad, then I'll be a pirate. Arrr!"

She wasn't actually serious about such a drastic career change, but she could at least humor her hosts a little while she was with them. She went to the mirror hanging on the wall and she slipped the do rag on, tucking some wayward curls up under it, but leaving a couple free to peek out near her temples. Satisfied that she'd donned it right, she left the captain's quarters.

When she made it up on deck, she barely managed to take two steps before she heard a warning cry. She looked up overhead to see a crane swinging over, bearing a heavy bundle of lumber lashed together. A cord of wood was slipping free of the bundle, right over her head. A hand grabbed her arm and pulled her away as it fell, and she winced as the lumber crashed to the deck.

"Whoa, easy there, lass," spoke a voice accented with a curious blend of Nandarian and Old Avran. She looked up at her benefactor and she found herself staring. It was a sire she'd never seen before, and he was quite the handsome fellow. Waves of silver hair spilled out from beneath a black, gold-trimmed musketeer hat, falling to his waist. Amber cat eyes gazed down at her from beneath elegantly arching brows that matched the color of his hair, set in a face with high cheekbones, a straight, aristocratic nose and sensitive looking lips. She could see the tips of his pointed ears parting the pale silk of his hair, and the glimpse of golden hoops piercing them in a ladder style.

"H-hi," she stammered, blinking. "And thanks."

Gosh, lashran men were hot. Some even more than others.

He smiled roguishly at her in a manner she was beginning to associate with just about all good-looking pirates. "My pleasure, miss."

"Rhiannon," she introduced, offering her hand for him to shake.

He took it and kissed it instead. "Pretty name. Tsabrak's mine."

Any further introductions would have to wait. Tristan ran over from the other side of the deck, along with Blinky, Skidder and one of the other crew whose moniker Rhiannon could not recall. She forgot all about the gorgeous, tawny stranger as Captain Hunter put his hands on her shoulders and gave them a squeeze, his tanned, handsome features showing concern for her.

"Damn, Rhia...are you all right? I was too far away to get to you."

She nodded, her pulse quickening for reasons other than the scare she'd just been through. "I'm okay. I'm definitely _awake_ now."

"Second close call in one day," he sighed, smirking. "Are you jinxed or something, baby?"

"Probably. This is kind of a normal day in the life of Rhiannon Argyle. Usually when one thing goes wrong, two more follow."

"Then we'd better keep a closer eye on you," Skidder announced. "Else you might end up having a piano fall on you, next."

She giggled. "Thankfully most of my weird jinx moments are just close calls or something annoying. Good thing Mr. Tsabrak here was nearby." She remembered the lashran pirate that had yanked her out of harm's way and she smiled up at him gratefully.

"Just Tsabrak, love," corrected the silver hunk, "Or Captain Darshaw, if you've got an itch to be formal." He kissed her hand again and tipped his hat to her. "Now begging your pardon, but I must return to my own ship and assist my sweet bondmate before he comes looking for me. Captain Hunter, pleasure meeting you and your crew. Your ship's a beauty and we look forward to sailing with you someday. Keep us updated."

Tristan nodded and gave him a brief, one-armed hug. "Will do, and if the hammer starts coming down, the Sea Lion will be right in the thick of it."

Tsabrak gave him a brief salute, and then he exited the deck. They watched the exotic looking pirate go, and Rhiannon thought of the name he'd given. "Darshaw?" her lightly freckled nose crinkled. "That name sounds really, really familiar."

Tristan leaned close and put an arm around her, speaking softly. "It should, if you've ever read anything on naval history. Coren Darshaw was pretty infamous."

"But...he said his name was Tsabrak, and he's lashran."

"Right, but he took the Darshaw name when he hooked up with Coren Darshaw's spouse after his death. You've just met a living legend, baby."

Rhiannon wracked her mind, and she gasped when recollection struck her. "Oh my gods...that's right! Tsabrak Darshaw! His son is Antyan Darshaw, who's like the pirate king of the Wayfarers, isn't he?"

"Well, we don't really do the king thing anymore, but he's head of the Wayfarer council."

"Wow," she breathed. "That is sooo cool. But wait...I thought I read something about him and his spouse being lost at sea a long time ago."

"That's the official story," agreed Skidder, "but it looks like the lost legends found themselves again."

"Well then where have they been for all this time?" queried Rhiannon in confusion. "I mean, nobody's seen them for a couple hundred years, right?"

"From what Darshaw told me," explained Tristan, "their ship took on an assload of damage in a major storm system while they were out at sea. They got out, took shelter in a sea cave and went into a coma from their injuries. I'm not sure how it works, but lashran can go into some kind of hibernation state if they get sick of life or get hurt bad enough. One of my girlfriends tried to explain it to me and I think I started pissing her off because it wasn't really clicking. Anyway, if there's nobody there to wake 'em up when they're in this stasis, they just keep right on sleeping."

"They don't wither away?" asked Skidder.

Tristan shook his head. "Nope. Star told me everything slows down almost to the point of death, but their regenerative biology keeps them from wasting away. She said it feels like getting back from a week-long party with a massive hangover. That's all I can remember about that and it's still a head-scratcher to me."

"So then how did they finally wake up?" asked Rhiannon.

"He didn't say and I didn't ask. All Captain Darshaw said was that he woke up before Lyth...er...Lyth...his spouse, and they were totally disoriented. Didn't know what year it was or even _where_ they were, and they managed to recover enough for him to use his magic to get their coordinates and teleport them back to civilization. Must have sucked to show up in a totally different place than they remembered in nothing but moldy, half disintegrated rags."

She grimaced. "I'll bet! Well, have they contacted any surviving friends or family? Being lashran they've got to have _someone_ left that they know."

"He didn't go into details on that, either. They're still finishing repairs to their ship. Don't ask me how the hell they did it, but they rescued her from the bottom of the ocean and made her seaworthy again."

"Magic," guessed Blinky. "And maybe some hefty mariner equipment and a big-ass barge."

"Yeah, probably." Tristan shrugged. "Either way, they didn't even know there son was alive until we talked and Captain Darshaw introduced himself to me. I though it was just a weird coincidence, but the look on his face when I asked if he'd heard of Antyan blew that theory full of holes."

"Oh, wow," sighed Rhiannon. "Can you imagine being reunited with loved ones after such a long time? Are they going to go and meet up with him when they leave here?"

Tristan removed his hat and combed his fingers through his hair. "That's the problem. Nobody's been able to reach Captain Darshaw or any of the Wayfarers in that area since yesterday. Even the news from Zarn territory's been cut off. The Chalice won't let any media in and they've closed off all travel in or out."

Rhiannon winced as the pirates glanced at each other with subtly grim expressions. "You said that you'd come from there when you arrived at Valkyrie Falls, and there was some kind of naval battle for one of the island ports?"

The captain nodded. "Yeah. We stopped off on the way to get the cargo we're trying to transport, but the damage we took was a little more than we thought. The little patch we did wasn't enough."

She frowned. He'd told her before that the last landfall they'd seen was in Zarn, so if they didn't stop off at another port on the way back to Avras, that meant the cargo they were carrying for a profit was from...another ship? She had the sneaky suspicion it was all plundered loot from some unfortunate vessel. She put the thought in the back of her mind, choosing not to dwell on it or the

"Do you think it could still be going on? You said something about a second fracas."

Tristan glanced at his crew again and spread his hands. "Maaaybe. Last I heard, they were still trying to stir trouble. Knowing the Rippers, they'd try to take back what they lost. I'm pretty damned sure they couldn't blow away all the Wayfarers that were still in the area, though."

"Could be the Chalice jammed communications in and out," reasoned Skidder. "I heard they were starting to get involved. If the guild lords and the Wayfarers can't hold the outer islands, that means the Chalice could be vulnerable, too."

Tristan snorted. "Not to Rippers. They'd never make it past the sea wall, even if the spirit keepers didn't make the ocean swallow them whole. The islands could go to hell in a hand-basket all around the Chalice, and it would _still_ be safe. That place is too tight for any naval, air or ground attacks to get through."

"Yeah, but a lot of their commerce depends on the outer islands," Blinky pointed out. "If the Rippers manage to drive out the guild lords, they'll probably jack up the prices of any trading they do with the Chalice. That threat might motivate those snooty monarchs to step up and get involved. They might even get one of the other Lashran governments to intervene."

"It won't do us any good to stand around speculating," reminded Tristan. "Let's just get back to work and worry about our own immediate problems. The Sea Lion won't fix herself, right?"

The other two nodded in agreement and parted ways, and Tristan put an arm around Rhiannon and spoke in a low voice. "Hey Rhia, want to see something _really_ cool?"

"Sure!" Anything to take her mind off the current political problems and her thoughts concerning the "cargo" Tristan's ship was carrying.

He guided her over to the starboard bough and pointed out across the shipyard. "That's the Wave Crasher over there, and she's getting ready to head out for another test run. We already saw one of 'em while you were napping, and it's a sight you don't want to miss."

She was already impressed by the sight of the massive ocean vessel he'd pointed out to her. Sporting four masts in case of engine failure or fuel conservation, the Wave Crasher was a formidable battleship. Like the Sea Lion, it appeared to be constructed of wood on the outside, but there was little doubt that it boasted plenty of steel beneath the outer shell. It wasn't as large as, say, an ocean liner, but of all the battleships she'd witnessed so far, it was probably the largest.

The bottom of the ship was a nearly black, cobalt color and it gradually faded to a light blue from the bottom up. The sails were furled, but she could see that they were also of blue and aqua colors. It almost created the illusion that the ship was part of the water. Despite its size, the flowing design of it made it appear graceful, like some great sea creature completely at home in its environment. The figurehead was in the shape of a clenched fist, she realized, and she almost giggled. The beauty of the lashran vessel outweighed that one amusing feature, however.

"And that actually sank to the bottom of the ocean?" she mused, impressed with how beautifully it had been restored. There were a few places here and there near the hull that looked like they still needed touching up, but overall the vessel appeared almost new.

"It did," confirmed Tristan with a nod, "but lucky for them, it was over a reef, so they didn't have to go deep to haul her back to the surface. Probably had to take her apart a bit with diving and sub equipment, then fish her out in sections. One day I'll ask for details on that, 'cause I'm just as curious as you are."

The Wave Crasher began to leave the harbor, and Rhiannon rested her arms on the edge of the ship and leaned forward with interest. "Tristan," she said as an afterthought, "you mentioned that one of your girlfriends told you all about lashran healing trances. Is she lashran herself?"

He nodded. "That's right. She doesn't have their bronze skin color, though. She's pale, like her father...skin like ivory."

Rhiannon nibbled her lip and told herself that she didn't feel any stirrings of jealousy. "What is she like?"

He leaned against the railing beside her and looked out over the water at the departing lashran ship. "Tough. Passionate. Smart. Star's not someone you want to fuck with. I learned that in a painful way pretty soon in our relationship. She's got a great sense of humor though, and underneath all that swearing and gumption, she's got a good heart."

Rhiannon looked at his attractive profile, and she wondered how close he was to his other romantic interests. This was not a monogamous relationship they had. She knew how it was and she'd willingly participated because she wasn't ready for another commitment. Still, she found herself imagining him in the arms of another woman and she didn't like the way it made her feel.

"Is she the one that's into bondage?" She slapped a hand over her mouth the moment she said it, turning pink immediately when his hazel eyes settled on her. "Uh, I'm sorry. That's none of my business."

Tristan flashed a smile of amusement at her and he put an arm around her. "It's all right, honey. You know you can ask me anything you want, and it's kind of nice having a girlfriend that actually wants to know things about the other ones. Yeah, Star is into the sado-masochism, but it's really not that extreme. She's the one I forgot my safe word with and ended up unable to sit for three days...but I won't go into details because of that face you're starting to make."

Realizing she'd started to crinkle her nose, Rhiannon schooled her expression into something more neutral. "Oh. Well, thank you for sparing me the details. I mean, I'm interested in learning more about the other women in your life—don't get me wrong—but I don't need a full recap of the things you do together."

He chuckled and gave her a squeeze. "Noted. But just so you know, if you ever want to explore anything yourself, I'm open to that. Don't be afraid to ask me, kay?"

Her blush deepened and she nodded, gulping at the thought. "Um...right. Well, I'm not ready for whips and chains, just yet."

He kissed her ear and murmured into it. "How about scarves? Not for you though, unless you want it. You've been tied up enough, I think."

A surge of emotion made her eyes water, and she swallowed again and looked at him. Here was this forty year old man with a perpetually young attitude, sailing the high seas and risking his life daily for the sake of having fun...and he was offering to give himself to her in a way no man had ever done before. Some might describe Tristan Hunter as flaky and immature, but he had a way of seeing people that was unmatched.

"I...thank you," she whispered, reaching down to rest her hand over the larger one cupping her midriff. "I know this sounds weird, but that's one of the sweetest offers anyone's ever given me."

He smiled at her and shook his head. "Doesn't sound weird at all to me, cutie patootie. You've been mistreated, leashed and smothered. I just wanted you to know I'm all for giving you the control, if you ever want it."

She blinked the moisture from her eyes and she sighed, laying her head on his shoulder. She looked back out at the Wave Crasher and she spoke her thoughts without hesitation. "You make me feel safe, and that's not easy for any guy to do—except my close friends."

He took his arm from around her waist to stroke her braided hair, spilling out from beneath the borrowed do-rag. "If I can make you feel safe when we're together, than I've completed half my goal."

She grinned and snuggled closer. "About those shooting lessons you offered...I think I might take you up on that."

"Yeah? We can start whenever you want, then. Well, after we've finished repairing the ship. The crew might mutiny on me if I belay doing my part in that."

Rhiannon giggled. "We can't have that now, can w—"

Her words got choked off as the massive ship they were watching suddenly seemed to vanish like a dream on the horizon. She lifted her head off his shoulder and blinked. "Where'd it go?!"

Tristan snickered softly at her reaction. "It's still there, sweets. That's one of the things that makes the Wave Crasher so cool. It can camouflage better than a chameleon."

She peered at the surface of the water where said vessel most recently was, and she could see the water churning—the only sign that it was still there. "How? I mean, Auric and Blinky both said that invisibility spells were tricky and unstable...and that's on _people_! How do they make a whole freaking ship disappear?"

"Specialized enchantment," explained the pirate. "I'm no expert by any means, but Darshaw is a dabbler and his spouse is one of the top engineers on Wyndrah. They rigged something in their ship with the enchantment, and from what I've been told, enchantments are more reliable than spur of the moment cantrips. I guess because it's a permanent."

"Hmm, I'll have to ask Auric about that sometime," she mumbled. She was still trying to find more hints of the Wave Crasher on the horizon, but the vessel had literally vanished without a trace. "That's really amazing. Have you ever thought of doing something like that with your ship?"

He shook his head. "Nope. Well, we thought of it...even tried it...but there's a trick to it that nobody else gets. As far as I know, Captain Darshaw's ship is the only one in creation that can do that with any success."

Rhiannon heard the captain in question shout something to his crew about weapons, and then there was a brilliant blast of ion fire from the empty space where the Wave Crasher was floating. She gasped and instinctively grabbed Tristan as the white-hot energy lozenges shot across the surface of the ocean. There were four in all, and they hit or landed around a bright yellow buoy bobbing in the water. It was literally blown to smithereens, chunks and shards of it flying every which way as she watched.

"Holy shit," she blurted into her companion's shirt.

He patted her back soothingly and chuckled. "Don't panic. None of it can hit us."

"But still!" She dared to look again, and she saw the Wave Crasher re-materialize on the water. "That...I just...wow!"

Tristan laughed again and rubbed her back. "Well, now you've seen it with your own eyes. By the looks of it, the camouflage fails once they fire anything...but it still gives 'em a hell of an advantage for surprise attacks."

"I can imagine." She stared as the ship began to turn, heading back to the harbor. "Well, that was a neat experience. I wonder what it feels like to be on board when they vanish like that?"

Tristan shrugged. "Probably doesn't feel much like anything, if I go by my own experience of being turned invisible. You just go with the flow."

He patted her and he kissed her on the cheek, his facial hair tickling her sensitive skin. "I've got to get back to work, before the crew keel-hauls me."

Rhiannon smiled at him, remembering that she'd volunteered to help prepare and serve dinner. "I guess I'll go down to the kitchen and see what I can do to help with food. Be careful, would you?"

"Me?" He pointed at himself, his teeth flashing in a reckless smile. "When am I ever careful?"

She groaned and slapped his chest playfully. "Just try, okay? I don't want to find out you hung yourself by accident or skewered yourself by running around on deck with your sword brandished."

Tristan tossed his head back and laughed heartily. "I'm not _that_ clumsy, baby."

"So you say." She pinched him on the arm. "I'll see you later, handsome."

* * *

After assisting in the preparation of a meal including roast beef and baked vegetables, Rhiannon ate in the captain's quarters with Tristan. He complimented her on the cooking, though she'd really only chopped and stirred the ingredients as instructed. She limited her wine intake to a single glass, mindful not to overdo it and end up curdling the food in her belly. She was feeling less nauseous than usual and she dearly hoped it was because she was getting her sea legs, as predicted. Sitting stationary in the shipyard was very different from being out at sea, though.

"I really hope I don't have too much seasickness, once we start out," she remarked after swallowing a bite of food. "How sexy would _that_ be? You holding my hair back for me for the entire trip, I mean."

He grinned and spread his hands. "I'll hold your hair back as much as you need me to, Rhia. You're doing great so far, though. I think you'll surprise yourself."

"Maybe." She finished off her wine and she looked down at her plate. "Ugh, my eyes were bigger than my stomach. I don't think I can eat much more." There wasn't much left on her plate: a couple of potato wedges and a carrot slice. Still, she hated to waste food.

"Don't worry about it," he insisted. "You can put what you don't finish back in the cooler with the rest of the leftovers. We know you don't have cooties."

She snorted and covered her mouth on a giggle. "I should hope so, by now. Are you finished with yours?"

He nodded and thanked her as she got up to take his plate and silverware. "I'll be right back," she promised, heading for the door. "I'm just going to put the leftovers away and clean up our plates."

He watched her go with a smile. "You're so sweet. I'm going to jump in the shower and wash my scurvy self up, while you do that. Bring back another bottle for us too, "

* * *

Rhiannon nearly dropped the bottle of wine she'd carried back with her when she entered the captain's quarters and found Tristan reclined on the bed in nothing but a towel. His hair was damp and he gave her a roguish smile upon seeing her, patting the place beside him. He'd lit the candelabra attached to the dining table and dimmed the lights. The setting sun beamed in through the windows between the half-closed curtains.

"There you are. I was starting to feel lonely. How about you pour us a glass to share, pretty lover?"

She was so busy feasting her eyes on his bare torso and legs that the request did not immediately register in her mind. "Huh? Oh! Right!" She hurried over to the table and snatched up his glass, before popping the cork and pouring the red beverage into it. "I probably shouldn't have much more," she said shyly as she approached the bed and offered the drink to him.

Tristan took the glass and grabbed her hand, practically yanking her down on top of him. He smiled as she squeaked and tried to right herself, after splaying over him and getting a face-full of his chest hair. "Drink what you want and I'll finish the rest. No pressure, cutie."

Rhiannon lifted her head off his chest and she blew the stray curls out of her eyes. "You know, manhandling me isn't very gentlemanly." She brushed her thigh against his in a teasingly flirty manner, despite her words.

"Maybe I'm not in the mood to be a 'gentleman' right now," replied Tristan, his voice taking on a husky tone. His hand slid down her back to cup her bottom and give it a squeeze, while his other hand raised the glass to his lips for a drink. He scooted back on the bed so that he could sit up, grunting a little as he maneuvered her on top of him into a more comfortable position. "It's not easy behaving myself around such a fine looking mermaid."

Feeling the proof of his desire pressing against her thigh through the layers of towel and clothing, Rhiannon feigned shock. "But I'm a _good_ little mermaid, sir! You wouldn't want to corrupt me, would you?"

He chuckled and nipped playfully at her neck. "Arr, I be a pirate, missy! Caught ye fair an' square in me net, and you've nowhere t' run...or swim."

She giggled helplessly at his use of language, finding it quite fitting. "Oh, whatever shall I do? Helplessly entangled in this rogue's nets, will I ever see my home under the sea again?"

He set aside the wine glass on the bedside table, his hands wandering her body leisurely. "Aye, when I'm finished wi' ye. I'm a catch an' release fisherman, lass. Cap'n Hunter be a generous enough sort t' release ye back into th' water, after he's had his way."

The implications of his reply were not lost on her, and for a moment, she began to question herself, wondering what she was doing with this man. This arrangement would not last. There was no "happily ever after" on the horizon for her and Tristan. When this little adventure was finished, he would return her home to Valkyrie Falls and sail off without her, and she would have to pick back up where she left off in sweeping up the broken shards of her life.

"I..." She stared at him, at a loss for words. He sobered at the dismayed expression on her face, and he traced her features with his fingertips.

"Is this game getting a little too heavy for you, sweets?"

Rhiannon started to tell him that she didn't like the reminder that she was a "catch and release". She nearly confessed that her feelings for him were growing, and she was afraid of becoming so attached to him. The adventurous side of her warned her away from such a dialog, though. All things in life were temporary, and she had learned to appreciate what pleasures came her way while she had the opportunity to do so. She shoved her misgivings aside and she smiled at him, running her fingers through his damp hair.

"No, I just couldn't come up with my next line. I don't get to play like this often, so I'm not in practice." She cupped his face and pressed her lips against his. "Just...kiss me."

He obliged her, his mouth becoming animated against hers. That was another nice thing about Tristan Hunter; he tended not to question much, and he took her words at face value. Even if he suspected there was something more beneath the surface, he never pressured her to delve more deeply, leaving it up to her to decide whether she wanted to reveal anything more. He freed her hair from her braid, and then he began to work on her clothing. No more words needed to be said.

* * *

Tristan could tell that something troubled her near the end of their little roleplaying session, but she obviously didn't want to talk about it. Not one to be pushy, he tried to help in the only way he knew how. He was gentle with her—more gentle than he'd ever been with any of his lovers. He removed her clothes and his towel, and he attentively pleasured her with his hands, lips and tongue until she was crying out and shivering in release. Satisfied that he'd given her a good start, he entered her and moved slowly, taking his time with it. He found himself staring into her eyes as he pinned her petite form beneath him and began to roll his hips with smooth, careful motions. She gasped softly with each pump, her pretty features flushed with bliss.

Tristan lowered his mouth to hers for a kiss, a groan surfacing in his throat as her legs wrapped around his waist. "Mm, I love that," he confessed, closing his eyes. He rotated his hips in little circles, massaging the tight passage sheathing his length. He traced her gasping lips with his tongue and resumed his steady, gentle thrusts. "Rhia...you fit me so damned good."

He caught her hands in his and threaded their fingers together. For a moment he detected a flash of panic in her gaze as he opened his eyes again to look at her. He nearly broke the restraint, not wanting to spoil the encounter by drudging up bad memories. Her expression softened and she relaxed beneath him, squeezing his hands. He smiled and kept going, stricken by a tenderness that shook him to his core.

"You okay, baby?"

She swallowed and nodded, a little moan escaping her lips. "Don't...stop."

He kissed her again, more than happy to comply. It was almost torture; this slow, sinuous pace. It teased the senses, daring him to move faster and harder. He refused to give into that urge, however. He slid his length deep inside of her one inch at a time, allowing both of them to feel every excruciating, delightful pump. He moved his lips away from hers, kissing along her jaw to her ear so that he could nibble at it.

"Unh...oh...I think I'm...oooh!"

He grinned as he felt the clenching start, and he pushed in deep to rotate his hips again. Rhiannon panted and squeezed his hands harder as her impaled loins quivered around his hardness, the muscles contracting and squeezing wonderfully.

"Oh yeah," he sighed, pleased. He held still within her as the climax reached its peak, and when the clenching eased up again, he resumed his thrusts. He lifted his head to smile down at her, admiring the helpless, blissful look of pleasure on her face. "You're so pretty when you come, Rhia."

She smiled bashfully. "So are you."

"Hey, guys aren't s'posed to be pretty," he objected with a laugh. He bit his lip and sucked in a sharp breath, feeling himself getting closer. He grimaced and struggled to hold it at bay, wanting to keep the pace for as long as possible.

"Handsome, then," she revised with a breathless giggle. She strained against his hold on her hands. "You're fighting it."

He huffed another laugh and nodded. "Damned skippy. Mine can wait."

Another shuddering gasp passed her lips, and she caressed the back of his thighs with her foot. "It's...okay. You never take very long to recover. Let me use my hands."

"Nuh-uh," he insisted, giving said hands a little squeeze. His relentless, gentle thrusts didn't pause. "If I do that you'll make me come. I'm not done with you yet."

"B-but that's the point of sex," she argued, her voice quivering with pleasure. "You're s'posed to come too!"

He grinned a little painfully at her. "And I will. Not just yet, though." He paused his thrusting and rocked from side to side, again messaging her inside. She moaned and he echoed her, loving every minute of it. "Getting close again, cutie?"

"Ah...ohh...y-you...Tristan!" Her thighs tightened around him and she tossed her head, squeezing his hands again as her muscles started clenching around his length. He kissed her arching throat, sucking lightly on the skin as he started pumping again, angling his thrusts so that he was brushing against her g-spot each time. Her body went taut and she trembled in the throes of her climax, the sweet sound of her moans gratifying him for his efforts. He released one of her hands and he reached down to fondle her swollen clit, intensifying her pleasure.

"Oh...OH!" She sounded shocked, and her thighs twitched around his waist. Shuddering beneath him, she kept crying out and the clenching intensified around his gently pumping length.

"That's my girl," he panted in approval, loving every second of it. His lips traveled lower and he took her right nipple between his lips, sucking lightly while flicking his tongue against the bud. Rhiannon almost sounded like she was in pain, and her free hand clutched his shoulder desperately. Her grip on his other hand was tight enough to hurt a little, but he didn't mind.

"Shit," she blurted, "oh gods...I think I'm dying..."

He groaned in response, his balls tightening warningly. "Right there with you," he managed, struggling hard to calm himself and avoid coming. Rhiannon's hand slid down from his shoulder to play with his nipple piercings—just as he'd feared. That did it for him and he reared back and clenched his teeth, hissing through them as he bucked inside of her.

"Ah, fuck," he grunted, spurting hard. He looked down at her with a slack mouth, breath catching as his vision went blurry around the edges. She was still clenching around him, and it was such an intense experience it almost seemed spiritual. Caught up in their mutual orgasms, they gazed into each other's eyes and their cries mingled together. It was Tristan's turn to become a quivering heap, and he collapsed on her, groaning into her ear as he spent himself.

Had he the breath to ask, he might have questioned what the hell had just happened. Sex was always great with her but this time, it was practically a religious experience. He'd felt that from the roots of his hair to his toenails.

"That," he wheezed into her hair when he could speak again, "was fucking tantric. What'd you _do_ to me, Rhia?"

She was still whimpering in the aftermath of her own climax, and her fingers sifted through his hair. "H-hey, that was all you," she accused.

He shook his head. "Nuh-uh. Your pussy has some kind of super power."

She pulled her fingers out of his hair to poke him in the side. "I hate that w-word, you."

"Sorry...I know." He sighed and nuzzled her perspiration-beaded cheek. "I just...wow. It might take me a little longer than usual to come back for an encore, after that one."

She smiled at him, looking pleased with herself. Her hand meandered over his chest and abs, stroking with loving attention. It made his breath catch a little, and he wondered why her touch felt so different from others. A shiver went through him and he closed his eyes, resting his head on her shoulder as she petted him.

"You're amazing," he whispered truthfully. Never mind that he was starting to feel a hint of fear mixed in with the confusion. All the questions he'd been asking himself since spiriting her away from home resurfaced in his mind. It wasn't her fault; it was _his_. Rhiannon hadn't asked him to do any of this, so he couldn't blame her for the unfamiliar stirrings he felt.

She hummed sweetly in contentment, and when he released her other hand, she stroked his hair with it. Still wedged intimately inside of her, Tristan nearly purred with enjoyment. "Feels good."

Rhiannon turned her head to kiss his bearded cheek. "I like this part almost as much as the sex."

Tristan chuckled, withdrawing just a little before settling back in firmly. Despite his earlier proclamation that he'd need more recovery time, he felt his groin beginning to stir again. She must have felt it too, because she gasped and her fingers curled against his chest.

"I thought you were going to give me a longer break before poking me again."

He lifted his head off her shoulder and grinned down at her, easing out to the tip again for another slow, sensual pump. He slowly grew harder and longer inside of her—certainly not as quickly as a lashran would...but he thought it wasn't bad for a human guy his age. The head of his cock was still highly sensitized from his earlier climax, and he hissed a little as he moved.

"What can I say? You make me hard without even trying."

Her eyes fluttered shut and she licked her lips, purposely clamping down on his length to squeeze it as he moved. "Maybe I can make you even harder, then."

Tristan's breath caught, his brows furrowing in response to her clever trick. "Rhia...baby...that's going to cause you some trouble."

"I'm _already_ in trouble," she reminded him with a smile, opening her eyes again. "I might as well enjoy it, right?"

He smiled back at her and thrust again. "Damn, I love the way you think."

* * *

He made love to her all through the night—which came as no surprise to Rhiannon, considering the performances he'd given in the past. Just when she thought he'd run out of steam, he came back for more. At one point they lay together for a full hour before she felt him harden again and ended up on her side, being taken from behind. By the time he was finally too spent to keep going, she was exhausted herself and a bit sore. Fortunately, he'd been gentle with her the entire time. It was different from what she was used to. The way he looked at her made her feel like she'd earned a special place in his heart—even if he wasn't _in love_ with her.

As she lay there in the darkness with her head on his chest, she listened to his slow, even breathing and the thump of his heart. She knew in her bones that it was too late for her to stop it from happening. Try to deny it as she might, she'd fallen for the flirty charmer...and she hadn't even really fought against it. Even if she had to share him and could only see him a few times a year, she just couldn't help but love him.

"Gods help me," she whispered, closing her eyes. Well, what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. The only real question was whether or not she could continue to be okay with his lifestyle. She'd never been in an open relationship before and now that her feelings for him had evolved, she really didn't know how long she could stave off jealousy.

"Mumph," blurted Tristan, jerking a little in his sleep. "Put 'em in th' cargo hold."

Rhiannon smiled in spite of her feelings of dread, tickled. "Aye, Cap'n," she assured him softly, rubbing his chest. "I'll be sure they get put away."

She had no idea what he was referring to, but her answer seemed to appease him and he nodded, patting her rump.

"'s good," he yawned, and then he settled down with a snore.

She kissed him softly on the lips and laid her head back down on his chest, closing her eyes. She'd just keep it to herself. It was safer that way. Better he never know than to find out and reject her. She'd just appreciate him while she could and be grateful for the experience.

* * *

The next morning brought with it a bigger adventure than Rhiannon could have expected—but not for her, apparently. When she emerged from bed and got cleaned up and dressed, she could hear the excitement in the voices of the crew as she left the captain's quarters. Tristan was already up and about and she could hear him calling out orders to his crew as people came and went from the upper deck. She passed by Lotus on her way to the stairs and she made an inquiry.

"Hey, is something happening?"

The pirate woman paused with an armload of what appeared to be rolled up maps. "Aye, we're setting sail. Ship's all patched up and we've got to deliver those goods we've been hauling. After that, Captain Hunter's going to drop you back off at Valkyrie Falls."

"Oh. Wow...that's um...fast." She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but she'd assumed Tristan would discuss it with her first when it was time for her venture with them to end. "Is something wrong?"

Lotus shifted her burden and reached out to pat her. "Oh no, honey. We're not in some sort of trouble, if that's what you're thinking. The Cap'n just doesn't want you in the middle of what's about to go down."

Rhiannon's brow crinkled. "So we're _not_ in any danger, but something's going to go down? I'm confused."

"There's been a call to arms," explained Lotus. "Finally got word from our allies in Zarn and the Rippers are on a full-fledged campaign to take over the outer islands. Azirus has already gone down and it sounds like Voldus is barely holding against 'em. The guild lords can't keep them at bay alone, so word's been put out for every available ship allied to the Wayfarers to come and assist."

Rhiannon's heart pounded harder, and her mouth went dry. "W-when is it supposed to start?"

"They're converging now," replied the other woman. "Cap'n reckons we've got enough time to drop you and our cargo off before we set course for Zarn to join the fight."

"But dropping me off is going to delay you guys. I don't want to be the reason you're late helping your friends."

Lotus gave her a tight little smile. "It's a risk Captain Hunter's willing to take, kiddo. He doesn't want you anywhere near this fight, and for once I agree with the man. Landlubbers have no place in a naval fracas...no offense."

Rhiannon bit her lip and twirled a lock of her hair. "He's up on deck, right?"

The other woman nodded. "Just try not to get underfoot while we're prepping to leave. I know you like to help when you can, but right now it's best to let the seasoned sailors do their jobs."

"Got it," agreed Rhiannon with a nod. She didn't intend to get "underfoot", but she sure as heck intended to speak her mind to the captain.

* * *

"Engines ready?" Tristan waited for confirmation from the engine room, and then he ordered start up. He spoke into the microphone to announce departure to the crew. "Weigh anchor, folks. Let's rock. ETA for our first destination is four hours. Keep a lookout for—"

His train of thought was interrupted as Rhiannon came into the bridge. "—mermaids. I mean uh...coastal authorities. We can't afford a search and seizure of this vessel, so don't get sloppy on me."

He put down the mic and turned it off, before pulling a couple of levers and turning the wheel. "Hey cutie patootie," he greeted the frowning redhead. "Sleep nice?"

"Fine," answered the young woman. She walked over to him and she crossed her arms over her chest. She was wearing a purple blouse that clung just right to her small frame, and a pair of black pants that molded nicely to her legs. Her new pair of white sneakers covered her feet. "When were you planning on telling me you're going to drop me off so you can go blowing up enemy pirates?"

He blinked, shaking himself out of his daze. Damn, she could be distracting, even dressed casually. "Huh? Oh...that. Just found out this morning and you were still crashed, so I figured I'd tell you when you woke up. And now you're awake, so yeah...I've got to cut our cruise a little short. Sorry, Rhia."

She huffed. "I'm coming with you."

He stared stupidly at her for a moment. "What...to Zarn?"

"No, to the moon." She put her hands on her hips. "You know what I mean, so don't play dumb."

He forced a grin and scratched his head, making his hat go a bit lopsided. "Who says I'm playing? You can't really mean you want to go with me into a war, can you?"

"Well no, I don't really want to be in the middle of a war—but your friends need you and if you backtrack to drop me off, you might not get there in time. So don't drop me off. Bring me with."

He could hardly believe she was saying this, despite how often the girl managed to surprise him. "Baby, you have zero experience in any of this. The fight's still going to be happening when we get there, even if we don't make it in time to fire the first shots. I'm not risking dragging you into something you aren't prepared for and getting you killed."

"You have no _idea_ the things I've lived through over the past ten years, Tristan." She stepped closer to him, brown eyes flashing with challenge. "I may not like guns but I can shoot. You can even give me some pointers like you offered, while we're on our way there. I can learn how to do some of this naval stuff by watching your crew. I'm a pretty fast study, if I do say so myself."

"Rhiannon," he said carefully, totally serious for once, "this isn't some game. I know I've said you'd make a great pirate, but it's not something you can learn in a couple of days. We're going to be facing down cold-blooded killers, and if you think it was scary when that guy tried to grab you in New Tariff, wait 'till you see the person next to you get their head blown to pieces. Wait 'till you see body parts flying through the air from a missile strike or cannon fire. Wait until you smell burning flesh and hear the screams when someone gets hit by napalm, and when they shoot themselves for a cleaner death."

He sighed and he tweaked one of her auburn curls. "I'm not sure I'd ever want you seeing things like that, even if you _did_ try the pirate's life. Doesn't sit right with me."

"You can't protect me from everything, Tristan." She smiled at him a bit wistfully. "We've had this talk before, and covering my eyes from the nasty things in the world won't make them go away."

"No, but keeping you out of the line of fire sure as hell might keep you alive longer." He checked his heading and turned the wheel, easing the ship out of port slowly. He smirked at her when she wobbled and grabbed hold of his arm for balance. "See? You don't even have your sea legs yet. How the hell are you going to hold your own when the weapons start firing and the ship's rocking like crazy?"

"So I'll grab onto something," she insisted. "Who says I have to be out in the open, anyways? I could help in the engine room, or I could load ammunition in the ship's guns. I don't have to be out on the deck shooting and stabbing people."

He nearly caved. She made it seem so reasonable, and it was true; there were plenty of other tasks for the crew during a fracas besides scrapping on deck. Even so, if the Sea Lion took a hit and went down, it didn't matter _where_ Rhiannon was on the ship. Tristan sighed and he cupped her chin, bending over to give her a kiss.

"Sorry kid, the answer's still 'no'."

Her face fell, and for a minute he thought she was about to cry. "Hey, don't do that. Put the 'doe eyes' away, Rhia. I'm not trying to ditch you. I just want to make sure you stay in one piece so I can come back for more loving later on."

"But that's just it," she said in a small voice, "you might not come back at all."

"Awe, don't say that." He pulled her into a one-armed embrace and kissed the crown of her head. "You know I'm crazy about you. I'm not going to forget my Rhia."

"That isn't what I meant." She toyed with the medallion hanging from his neck. "You can't come back if you get blown up."

He chuckled and turned the wheel again, steering the vessel out to sea and away from the harbor. "Have a little faith, sheesh. It's not going to be my first naval battle."

"I'm sure it's not, but it could be your last."

Tristan looked down at her, puzzled by her logic. "What, so you want to be there to witness it if I go down? You want to go down with me?" He chuckled at his own words. "No pun intended."

"Well no, but...but I'd rather know if something happens, instead of just waiting around and worrying."

She appeared to be struggling with herself, and there was a sort of quiet desperation in her eyes. He shook his head and sighed. "I know we're still getting to know each other, but it's not like you to be so grim. Why are you so determined to get mixed up in this nastiness, Rhiannon?"

"I don't know," she confessed. "I guess I just think it would be easier if I came along with you, instead of you going out of your way to drop me back home. And like I said; at least that way I'll know if something happens to you."

"You're probably the only girlfriend I have that thinks that way." He smiled at her, and he was troubled—not because she was so worried about his safety, but because her concern didn't provoke the feelings of unease he would have expected. It should have annoyed him, her fear for his safety. Instead, it was strangely flattering.

He spared a moment of his attention on his piloting, and once they were out on the open water, he set the course and put it on auto pilot. He turned to her and he put his hands on her shoulders. "Listen, I'm going to be just fine. I've got a kick-ass crew and the Sea Lion's never let us down before. I'll be back to see you again before you know it, embarrassing the shit out of you and making you roll your eyes. Just trust me and focus on your life 'till I come back."

She compressed her lips, looking like she wanted to argue with him. After a moment, she heaved a sigh and she nodded, lowering her gaze meekly. "Will you give me some shooting lessons while we're en route, then? I'd like it if I could feel a little more at ease around guns."

He relaxed, thankful that he'd won the battle. "Sure thing, Rhia. Course is set, so we can go out on the deck and fire off some practice rounds. I'll make a markswoman of you yet."

As observant as he could be, Tristan failed to notice the calculating look in her eye.

* * *

-To be continued


	5. Chapter 5

As promised, Tristan gave her some tutoring out on the deck. It came as no surprise to Rhiannon that they had shooting targets stashed on the ship, and her first shot was wildly off course. It embarrassed her, because she really _did_ know the basics of handling a gun. Tristan reassured her that it was just going to take her some time to learn how to compensate for the rocking motions of the ship. He came up behind her to help her aim and he spoke his advice into her ear. With his help, she managed to at least _hit_ the target the second time, and after a few more tries she even hit the bull's eye. It was only the outer ring, but at least she wasn't in the white.

"See?" He grinned at her. "Just takes some practice. Do it enough and it'll come naturally to you. You've just got to learn how to balance while you're on a ship."

She nodded and looked up at him, the wind blowing a few curls over her eyes. She pushed the bothersome locks aside and she wondered if she was completely mad for even considering her plan. "Maybe we can do this again, next time you're in Valkyrie Falls."

"Sure," he agreed with a nod. "I'd like that."

She smiled, doing her best not to give away her plans. The Sea Lion hit some rough waves and her stomach lurched suddenly. She put a hand over her mouth and moaned, glancing at the port bow. If she was going to toss her cookies, she had a better chance of making it to the side of the ship than below deck.

"Uh-oh, there's that look again," observed Tristan. "Here, gimme your other hand."

She burped behind the one she was holding over her mouth, and she relinquished her free hand to him. He worked his fingers over the pressure points, his hazel eyes on her face. "Any better, Rhia?"

"I...no," she blurted, shaking her head. Not this time. His little trick didn't help nausea caused by anxiety. She ran to the side of the ship, stuffed her hair down the back of her shirt and leaned over the railing to deposit her breakfast into the ocean. She felt someone come up behind her and she groaned, not really wanting an audience to see her in such a state.

"Here, lass," offered Skidder, tapping her on the shoulder. She turned a little to find him offering her a handkerchief.

"Oh, thanks." Swallowing, she wiped her mouth and nose with it. "Sorry."

"Happens to most of us now and then," he offered with a shrug. "We've all seen it."

Tristan jogged over, his features expressing concern. "Sorry, Rhia. Guess I didn't catch it in time."

She shook her head. There was no point lying about it. "I don't think it's seasickness, this time. At least, it's not _only_ seasickness."

He frowned. "Food poisoning? Nobody else on board seems sick."

"No, the food is fine," she assured him. She thanked him when he offered her a sip of water from the camelback he carried on him. "I think I'm just stressed."

The news didn't seem to make him feel any better about it. If anything, he looked guilty. "Sorry, cutie. I thought about making something up so you wouldn't worry, but someone would have blabbed and you'd have found out where we're really going after we drop you off, anyway."

"So you only told the truth because you knew you'd get caught?" She rolled her eyes.

Tristan and Skidder both laughed. "Pirate, remember? We didn't take vows of honesty when we took on this life."

She harrumphed and shrugged. She really didn't have the right to judge him on honesty, considering what she was planning on doing. "At least you told me. I...think I might go lay down for a little while."

Tristan sobered a bit, and he put an arm around her. "I'll walk you down and tuck you in."

"Oh, I'll be okay on my own," she insisted, though she would have loved to be tucked in. "Skidder, I'll have your handkerchief cleaned up for you and returned before we make port in Valkyrie Falls. Thank you for lending it to me."

"Eh, it's just a piece of cloth," he said with a shrug. "I'm not worried about it. Feel better, Miss Argyle."

* * *

Her reasons for not wanting Tristan to follow her into the captain's cabin were simple: she needed to get in touch with a certain friend that might be able to help her conduct her plan. She couldn't get any service on her phone out at sea, but the on-board telephones were another matter. She just needed a few minutes of privacy. She locked the door behind her, knowing that Tristan would use his key if he needed to get in. Once that was done, she went over to the phone sitting on the desk beside the laptop. It looked like a rotary phone from several decades ago, but it had push buttons rather than a dial. She took a moment to admire the antique design of it, and then she grabbed her phone out of the purse she'd left on the floor beside the desk and pulled up her contact list.

"Come on, Auric," she muttered as she dialed his number and waited for him to pick up. "Please answer. I really need your help."

She groaned when she got his voice mail. Either he wasn't answering because he didn't recognize the number, or he was busy in a photo shoot. "Great. Okay, then. Auric, it's me, Rhia. I really need a big favor from you, and if you do it for me, I'll love you forever and tell you all about it afterwards! Please, please, _please_ meet me at the Jolly Whistler tomorrow. If Trin told you what's going on, I'm on the Sea Lion with um...a good friend. We'll be making port sometime tomorrow morning around ten-ish. It's _really_ important that you meet me at my place before the ship sets out again from the harbor. I can't explain it over your voicemail, so just find some way to make it, okay? Love you!"

She hung up the phone, fighting another bout of nausea. With a grimace, she considered taking some of the medicine that the ship's doctor had given her to keep on her just in case. Better to take something she might not really need than risk puking on Tristan's bedding. She sighed and reached for her purse again to locate it.

"Just take it easy," she advised herself as she dug the dissolving tablets out and placed one of them on her tongue. It disintegrated quickly, without the need for water to rinse it down. "You can do this, Rhiannon. Making yourself sick over it is only going to make it harder."

But _why_ was she doing this? Because she loved him? Tristan was a big boy, and he'd been doing this sort of thing since she was still in diapers. He didn't need a nursemaid, and how would he react when he inevitably caught her? She suffered no illusions that she would get found out sooner or later; she just had to make sure it happened _later_. She had to come to the conclusion that she was testing herself. She needed to find out if she really could accept his way of life, and she needed to know if what she felt was actually love, or infatuation.

But the thought of him getting hurt or killed made her breath catch...so it was hard to believe it wasn't love—or at least the beginning of it. With a groan, she went over to the bed and sprawled over it. She started to lie down on her stomach, but she thought better of it and rolled onto her side instead. Again, she wondered why she kept going for the "bad boys". While Tristan never mistreated her the way Chip had, he was a free spirit and would likely never settle down with one woman. She had to keep reminding herself of that. Even if she wasn't in a good place to commit to someone right now, eventually she wanted some form of meaningful relationship. She might want children some day, too...she wasn't sure about that yet. He already had two children in the world that weren't even aware of who their real father was. It would be foolish to presume it would be any different with her, were they to ever have a kid together.

"Stop setting yourself up for heartache," she demanded of herself. She needed to approach this from a logical standpoint—though the logic in what she was planning to do was rather skewed. Sighing, she tried to let sleep come to her, hoping that when she woke up from her nap she would feel refreshed and a bit more clear-headed.

* * *

She woke up again after they made port at the little seaside town of Driscal. The change in motion of the ship was what initially alerted her, followed by the sound of the ship's horn. She was just sitting up and rubbing her eyes when she heard the lock click in the door, and Tristan peeked in. Rhiannon gave him a sleepy smile and she stretched. He returned her smile and stepped into the room, approaching the bed to have a seat on the edge of it.

"Looks like I've got perfect timing," he remarked as he rubbed her knee. "Feeling any better yet?"

She nodded. "Yeah. That nausea medicine did me some good and helped me sleep. Are we at Driscal?"

"Yup. Crew's getting ready to unload the cargo and hand it over to our buyers. I know you probably want to get off the ship for a while and set foot on stable land, but we're only going to be here long enough to make the trade and refuel. Plus, there's a chance something might go wrong with negotiations and if a fight happens, we'll have to skedaddle out of here before the authorities can get involved."

"You guys really do live on the edge, don't you?" she sighed. "I guess I can go into the kitchen and see if I can help with any cooking while this is going on. I've managed to stay on this ship without puking more than once, so I'll manage."

"Thatta girl." He brushed a curl away from her eye and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. "I've got to go back up and oversee this exchange, but if anything starts going south I'll make sure someone lets you know. Any trouble happens, I want you to arm yourself with that pistol I tried to lend you and lock yourself up in here, understand?"

She nodded, the warning waking her up a bit more. "How worried are you about that happening?"

Tristan shrugged. "Not very. I'm just trying to prep you in case it does. Don't want you to be taken by surprise or scared."

"I'm not scared," she promised, and it was the truth. She trusted him to keep things under control here. It was the venture to Zarn and everything it entailed that truly made her nervous.

He studied her with a little smile. "You've got more guts than you give yourself credit for, Rhia."

"Hmm. I'm learning that more with each day." She stretched once more and then she swung her legs over the side of the bed to put her shoes back on. She didn't even recall taking them off. "Huh, that's funny. I thought I went to sleep with my feet hanging off the side of the bed."

"You did," he confirmed. "I came in to check on you about an hour ago and I took your shoes off for you."

Rhiannon smiled sidelong at him as she tied her sneakers. "That's sweet. I must have been pretty conked."

"You were snoring."

Her mouth dropped open. "I was _not_."

Tristan laughed and nodded. "Oh yes you were! Don't worry though; it wasn't obnoxious or anything. It was a cute kind of snore—all dainty like you."

"Tell me I wasn't drooling too." She flushed, embarrassed to be caught making such a noise.

"Nah, just squeaking a little. I might have to start calling you my little red mouse."

She gave him a little pinch on the leg. "Don't you dare. You've already saddled me with enough pet names, mister."

"So what's one more going to hurt?" He gave her knee a squeeze, and then he got up. "Well, I'm going topside now to get this over with. Shouldn't take more than an hour, and then we'll refuel and set off again. It'll be around dinnertime by then, by my estimate."

"Okay. I'll see you at dinner." She finished tying her shoes and she went to her purse to retrieve her big-toothed comb and run it through her hair. Tristan paused to watch her for a moment, his eyes following the motions of the styling tool as she ran it with practiced motions through her curls.

"You feeling okay enough to eat something, Rhia? You could always whip up something light, if your tummy's still upset."

She smiled at him. "I'm feeling much better, thanks. I might take your advice though and put together a pot of soup. I'm sure someone else on the ship might appreciate it as an option."

He nodded. "Perfect. See you at dinner, baby."

* * *

Fortunately the deal went through without any fighting. Tristan and his crew had to take the profit cut he'd predicted, however, for failing to deliver the goods in a timely manner. There was a bit of grumbling about that, but the prospect of a hot meal eased the sting for them, somewhat. Rhiannon assisted in preparation of a selection of fried fish, baked chicken, mashed potatoes, peas and buttered rolls. As an additional option, she cooked a sizeable pot of crescent soup; an old Avran favorite. Once the warmers were stocked and the trays set out for the crew to help themselves in the mess hall, she set up a cart to wheel to the captain's quarters for her and Tristan. He joined her a short while later to eat, and they chatted as they enjoyed the meal.

"So I'm a little confused," she confessed as she sprinkled some salt and pepper into her soup. "The day you arrived in Valkyrie Falls and I made you that mac and cheese, you said it was a lot better than a week's worth of sea rations...but here we are having a nice dinner."

"Well, we were out in the drink for a while, by the time we headed to Valkyrie Falls," he explained, "and like I told you, fresh food supplies don't last that long when you've got thirty-some mouths to feed and limited room in your larders. We do okay for about two weeks when we go on a long voyage, but once the fuel gets low and we've got to rely on the sails, we don't cover as many miles and the ship's supplies start to dwindle. That's why I'd been eating mostly hard tack and gruel by the time I got to VF."

She winced. "What about fresh water? Do you ever run out of that?"

"Only once." He put a dollop of butter on his peas and reached for his mug of said beverage. "We've got a saltwater converter on board, like most ships these days. One year it broke down on us and we had to make a pit stop on some remote island to find a fresh water source and restock the barrels. From then on it was bum baths 'till the next port, and we were a stinky bunch by the time we got to Daverry. Dock workers cleared a wide path for us when we disembarked. I thought one guy was going to jump right off the wharfs to get away from us."

They both laughed at that, and Rhiannon took a bite of soup before speaking again. "Well thank gods that wasn't the case when you came back to Valkyrie Falls. Is that why you asked if you were stinky when I ran out after seeing you in the tavern?"

He nodded, his smile broad. "I even sniffed my armpits to be sure."

She giggled harder, nearly choking at the mental image of him taking an experimental whiff of himself, with a bewildered look on his face. "You didn't stink. Like I said, I was surprised to see you and I needed a minute to gather my wits before talking to you."

"Well, I'm glad I didn't scare you away for long." He took a bite from his chicken drumstick, followed by another drink of water.

"I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings," she offered shyly, brushing her foot against his beneath the table. "I couldn't even tell you why I do some of the things I do."

"That's what makes you so cool," he insisted. "Spontaneity. I like that you're not predictable."

_~Oh, if only you knew.~_

Rhiannon only smiled and reached for her dinner roll, keeping the thought to herself. "So tomorrow you'll be heading to Zarn after dropping me off. How long is that going to take?"

He shrugged. "Depending on the wind and weather conditions, about three days. It takes longer coming back to Avras from there by ship, 'cause we have to go against the currents. We'll probably be down to non-perishables for eating by the time we make it back to these waters. Maybe not as bad as last time, though. We went slower because of the damage to the ship, but she's all patched up now so we don't have to take it easy on the speed."

"Unless the ship takes damage again," she reasoned, to which he nodded.

"Yeah, and that's a pretty high possibility. We'll be arriving after the fight's already underway though, so there's a chance we'll just be doing the cleanup. Depends on how the Wayfarers do in the meantime. Best case scenario: our allies will have already routed the enemy and have them on the run by the time they get there. Worse case scenario: the Rippers have overrun our fleet and we end up in a massive shit-storm trying to regroup or cover retreat."

Rhiannon grimaced. "I don't like that second possibility. What's the middle ground scenario?"

"We show up in the middle of the fight and it ends up in a draw," answered Tristan. "Nobody's side wins, because nobody can get the advantage and both sides start running out of ammunition and resources."

"So what happens then?" She paused with her spoon halfway to her lips, and she didn't notice when the motions of the ship made her drip some of the spoonful onto the table.

"Usually parlay," he replied, "and both sides agree to withdraw for a while to collect the dead, refuel and reload for another go, unless some kind of compromised can be reached over what they're after. I don't see that happening in this case, though. This is going to be a bloody fight to the end. The Rippers aren't going to give up their claim on the islands, the guild lords aren't going to bow down to them and the Wayfarers aren't going to let them have their way. This fight's been coming for a long time, and the Chalice will either stay out of it or swoop in to snatch up territory in the aftermath. I'm thinking it'll be the former, but you never know with that bunch."

"It always makes me nervous when government's get involved," sighed Rhiannon. "But I guess the guild lords are kind of a government anyway, right?"

"Closest thing to a government those smaller islands have," he agreed with a shrug. "But Azirus has been about half and half for a while, now. It hasn't been under complete control of the guild lord for over a decade, and there was so much rivalry happening between the other two islands that it was easy for the Rippers to get a decent power base going without them noticing."

"So why do the Wayfarers and Rippers have such an interest in Lashran territory?" wondered Rhiannon. "I mean, both factions have bases in human lands, right? What makes Zarn so appealing?"

"'Cause we can operate outside the boundaries of the law without worrying about coastal authorities getting in the way," explained Tristan. "And we've got a bitching trade arrangement with the island lords. At least we _did_. If the Rippers take over that's all down the shitter."

"I remember you saying something about that," she murmured after dabbing up the spill she'd had and taking a couple more bites of soup. "Ugh, I _really_ hope this works out for you all, Tristan. I don't know what those Rippers' problem is. It's like every jerk in the world decided to join their ranks."

He chuckled. "Well, I can't believe I'm about to say this, but that's not really the case. We're all pirates, and odds are if you asked any Rippers or their supporters, they'd probably say _we're_ the bad guys. There's two sides to every story, Rhia. Doesn't stop me from hating every last one of 'em, but as a scallywag myself, I know a little something about living the life and what motivates us."

"But just the other day you were ranting about how twisted they are, and how they're in the flesh trade," she pointed out.

Tristan paused with his drink partway to his lips, his gaze going flat for a minute on her. "Do you think nobody flying the Wayfarer colors ever did anything like that, baby? Our council's made it illegal for any Wayfarer to participate in the flesh trade, but that doesn't mean nobody ever breaks the rules."

She gulped. "And are there any consequences if they get caught in the act by the council?"

"Oh yeah," he assured her with a nod. "It depends on the severity. One or two adults might get your profits garnished to go into the Wayfarer treasury. More than that could cost you your ship for and land you in prison for a while. In the worst cases, you can get blacklisted and have to either live as a rogue or try your luck joining the Rippers. That's probably where most of the rogue Wayfarers end up, eventually."

"What's an example of the worst case?" She dreaded the answer even as she asked the question.

Tristan grimaced slightly and forked up some peas. "Child trafficking. Hey, you asked."

Rhiannon stared at her soup, suddenly losing her appetite. "That's awful. Have...have _you_ ever done anything like that?" She sincerely doubted it, but sometimes she saw a side of him that scared her a little.

"Once, by accident," he answered without hesitation.

Her nose crinkled as she looked at him again. "How the hell do you traffic a slave by 'accident'?"

He shrugged and finished off his water before setting it back down on the table. "A guy paid us to bring his 'daughter' across the border from Ocathia. Said he couldn't afford the cost of buying her citizenship to Avras, and I was willing to bring her over for half that price. Found out en route it was bullshit, thanks to one of my crew that happened to speak Ocathian and took a shine to her. He'd bought her on the black market and I guess they didn't offer delivery services, so he had to find his own way to transport her. We took her back home to her family and nixed the deal we'd made with the pervert that bought her."

Rhiannon relaxed, and she smiled a little. "That was nice of you."

He laughed softly and shook his head. "Don't be so sure about that, Rhia. We didn't do it for free. I still had a crew to feed and supplies to worry about."

Her jaw dropped. "You...you _ransomed_ the poor thing to her family?"

"I wouldn't call it ransom, exactly," he corrected. "We just charged a fee to cover the cost of transport and supplies. They were more than happy to pay it. Didn't make any profit on it, but it was enough to re-stock and refuel."

" _Tristan Hunter_! That's terrible!" She slapped her hand down on the table for emphasis.

He sobered and held her gaze. "This is something you need to understand about me, Rhia...about _us_. We aren't saints, and we aren't heroes. We're outlaws. There isn't much we do that isn't for some kind of profit. It's how we make our living, and to lawful folk, our morals are always going to be skewed."

She sighed. Well, she'd asked. She supposed there were worse things he could have done than get reimbursement for fuel and supplies. This was the sort of information she needed to know about him anyways. She needed to know what sort of man she was falling for, instead of blindly investing her heart in him and winding up hurt again.

"Guess you're pretty disappointed, huh?"

She looked at him again, startled. He appeared a bit tense, like he was bracing himself. Rhiannon shook her head and sighed again. "Not really. I can understand your point of view. I know the world can be a harsh, cruel place and sometimes, people have to put themselves first. I guess it just still surprises me to hear about some of the awful things that happen. Maybe I still try to live in denial, because it's too depressing to think of all the stuff that goes on out there."

"Don't dwell on it," advised the pirate captain. "You don't have to bury your head in the sand, but you don't need to fret over all the bad shit that goes down, either. There's plenty of good stuff to go with the bad; like taking a sudden cruise with pirates." He winked at her and smiled.

Rhiannon smiled hesitantly back. "Yeah, going on a cruise with pirates is pretty neat. I concur."

"Think you'd be up for doing it again sometime?" He rubbed his foot against hers, mimicking her earlier act of affection.

_~Sooner than you think.~_

She smiled wider. "Sure, if I can get the time off for it. I just know I am _soo_ fired from my job when I get back, so I'll have to hit up Mel for my old job back. I know he'll give it to me; he's already told me I could come back anytime. The only problem is the man is a taskmaster. I swear, he can be like a drill sergeant in the studio and I probably won't be able to ask for any vacation time for a few months after coming back."

He shrugged. "Just gives us something to look forward to, and I'm sure I'll be swinging by again to spend a couple days with you before then."

She tilted her head. "Were you planning on coming back after things are settled in Zarn?"

"Absolutely." He nodded. "I haven't had my fill of you, yet."

Rhiannon giggled. "That's funny. You've had me for half a week now. That's like a record."

_~And you'll have me for longer if I do this right.~_

"I know, right?" He grinned. "But I'm still up for more. I promise, I'll call you or text, once this Zarn business is over with, and I'll be back in Valkyrie Falls for a weekend as soon as I can."

"I'm holding you to that." She spooned up more soup, finding her appetite returning a bit. "I'm still not happy that you won't let me come with you. I'd better not find out you got yourself killed."

"Hmm, maybe you ought to wear something skimpy and take a selfie to send to me, so I've got more incentive to be careful."

"Hey, if that's what it takes!" She blushed as she said it, though Tristan had already seen all of her.

He chuckled and started on his ale. "I'd really like that. A nice picture of my little mermaid to look at when I feel lonely. Hey, why don't we do that when we get to VH, before I leave? You dress up in your sexiest underwear, and I'll take a picture of you with my phone. I promise it'll be for my eyes only."

She lowered her eyes. "I...I really don't have much 'sexy' underwear. I've got a few sets of matching lacy stuff, but—"

"I like lace."

She lifted her gaze and gave him a dimpled smile. "Like a dog with a bone, aren't you?"

He waggled his eyebrows. "When it comes to the pretty wenches, aye."

Rhiannon laughed helplessly. "Okay...as long as you don't go sharing it all over the internet or showing it off to your crew...but you have to let me take a sexy picture of you, too."

"Pfft, like I'd say 'no' to that."

* * *

The next morning, Rhiannon awoke with a groan. Today was the day...and she was so sore. Tristan's lovemaking the night before had been even more intense, starting out slow and gentle, then building up to an almost desperate passion as the night wore on. She winced all the way across the cabin to the bathroom, and she decided to soak a little in the small tub before showering. Tristan was of course already awake, and by the time she'd gotten cleaned up and dressed, they were already making port in Valkyrie Falls. She felt a combination of anxiety and doubt as she went up on deck to watch them sail into the harbor and make berth. Tam approached her and he offered her a beaded necklace with a little smile, surprising her.

"It's been a pleasure sailing with you," he informed her. "Please accept this small gift. It isn't anything special, really; just sea glass and silver. The colors suit you though, I think."

Speechlessly, Rhiannon stared up at the blond sire. She didn't realize he'd taken such a liking to her, he was such a quiet soul. She impulsively hugged him, her eyes stinging. "Oh, that's...I don't know what to say. Thank you."

He smiled and patted her back. "Gratitude is a fine response. Take care, Rhia. Wish us luck."

He stepped aside, and another pirate took his place. This time it was Lotus, and though she smiled, there was a hint of emotion in her eyes as she held out a chain of small brass bells to Rhiannon. "I know I said we'd get you a proper hat," said the older female, "but we never got the chance to. It's a belt. Ocathian dancers wear these. It's kind of fun to make 'em jingle." She planted a little kiss on Rhiannon's cheek.

"I...th-thank you," said the redhead again. "I feel so bad...I don't have any gifts for you in return!"

"Are you kidding?" Lotus smirked. "You gave me the company of another female for a while on this sausage-fest. It was nice while it lasted. You take care of yourself, Rhia. Don't let anyone push you around."

One by one, the crew of the Sea Lion approached the bewildered young woman to bestow upon her small gifts in the form of trinkets, post cards, bandannas and even a neat little holographic orb from Blinky. The poor Bargel stammered and blushed as he presented the gift to her, and Rhiannon wanted to pinch his cheeks.

"M-Miss Rhiannon," he said, clearing his throat. "I...um...er...here!"

He offered the orb to her—which depicted the three dimensional image of the Sea Lion in it. "Just a reminder of us," he finished in a rush. "It's a paperweight I made. It glows at night, too."

"Aweee, that is so thoughtful," she gushed, wishing she'd taken more time to get to know the sorcerer. "I'll take good care of it, Blinky. It's beautiful. I'll miss you."

He blushed deeper and bowed. "The pleasure was all mine. Wind be at your back, and all that!"

He then took his leave—possibly fearing he might soon spontaneously combust from the heat in his face. Rhiannon covered her mouth on a giggle, and then her eyes went to Tristan, standing in the background waiting for everyone to finish their goodbyes. Her mirth faded as he approached with a somber smile on his face, and she dared to imagine he looked a bit sad.

"Look at all that swag," he teased, his eyes roving over all the gifts draping her neck, wrists and gathered in her arms. "See? They love you. Just goes to show my crew has good taste."

Rhiannon's vision blurred and she sniffed. She hadn't spent much time with them, but it felt almost like a family to her. "I kind of love them too. I wasn't expecting this."

He leaned in close to her and murmured into her ear. "I forgot to tell you something else about us pirates—and this is one of those good things I mentioned. We share with each other, and once you're part of the crew, you're family."

"B-but I'm not part of the crew," she whispered through an aching throat. "I was just a passenger."

He chuckled softly. "If that was true, you wouldn't be draped in all those goodies. Maybe you didn't work on the ship, but you contributed and you were willing to do your part. The crew appreciates that. You weren't just a passenger and you weren't just my wench, cutie."

"Stop it, you're making me cry more." She awkwardly tried to wipe at her eyes, but her arms were loaded down.

Tristan brushed her tears away with the pads of his thumbs solicitously. "Hey, don't do that. We'll be back."

"All of you?" Her lower lip quivered.

"I'll do my best," he promised. "Now let's get your clothes bagged up so we can—"

"No," she interrupted with a shake of her head. "Leave it on the ship."

He frowned a little. "That'll make it a little hard for you to wear."

She chuckled unevenly. "Not when I'm back on the ship. You promised me another cruise, remember? This way I won't have to pack anything, when the time comes."

He grinned and nodded. "Ah, good call. All right; if that's what you want. I'll keep it safe in the trunk for the next time...might even pick you up a few other things to add to it, in the meantime."

"Be sure you tell your other girlfriends about me...and each other," she insisted. "I don't want one of them to shred my clothes or knife you again."

He laughed at that and put an arm around her. "They know I have other girlfriends, sweetheart...but if it'll make you feel better, I'll talk about it with them. I guess it couldn't hurt, seeing as the knifey one got the wrong impression of her status with me."

Rhiannon winced a little at that. Was _she_ doing that too? Deluding herself into thinking he might someday drop the others to be with her alone? No...she knew how it was. She just needed to be sure she could accept that, or move on.

"I don't think any of the others will stab me," he assured her, mistaking the reason for her wince. "That one was just kind of crazy."

"Well, I still think you'd better make sure there aren't anymore misunderstandings," she sighed. Her cellphone began to ring in her purse and she swore softly, trying to juggle all of her swag so that she could answer it.

"Here, I'll carry all this stuff for you," offered Tristan. "Go ahead and get that."

"Thank you." Rhiannon got the phone out of her purse and she brought it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Rhia? Are you in town yet? I'm at your place in the Jolly Whistler, and I'm _dying_ to know what the hell's going on with you."

She smiled in relief. "Auric, thank gods!"

Aware that Tristan was watching her curiously, she tempered her next response. "I'll explain everything in a little while, okay? Just wait for me and don't go anywhere."

"Hmm, must be even juicier than I thought," he replied. "Wild horses couldn't drag me away now, girlfriend. Just don't keep me waiting too long because my radar's up and I'm ready to hear this tale."

"Got it," she chuckled. "I'll be there soon. Sit tight."

When she hung up and put the phone away, she offered a fabricated explanation to Tristan. "That was my friend Auric. I sent him a message asking him to talk to Mel for me about getting my old job back, and he's waiting at my flat for me."

"So no sexy photo shoot?" Tristan nearly pouted.

"After I talk with him alone," she promised. "I just need to clear things up and then you can come in and we'll do that."

He perked up immediately. "Cool."

* * *

Auric gave a start as Rhiannon slammed the door behind her and rushed into the main room of her flat. He muted the television and put down the remote control as she plopped down on the bed with him. His blue-violet gaze scanned her, the large irises reflecting the light of the overhead lamp.

"Okay, _this_ I've got to hear," confessed the lifebearer. "Do you have _any_ idea how hard it was for me to get the day off? I thought Mel was going to have a conniption, and Trin is all suspicious. I figured you didn't want her involved since you didn't mention her. So, what's this all about, Rhia? You took off with a bunch of pirates and just quit your job?"

"I didn't quit," she explained quickly, "but I'm sure I'm fired. Anyways, I've told you a little about Tristan—"

"You mean that silver speckled fox that I saw smooching you outside before you came in?" He grinned and purred. "Yeah, I can see how that would—"

"Just listen," she interjected before he could go off on one of his romantic escapades, "Yes, we've been doing it when he comes into town. Yes, I left with him when he asked me too. No, I don't know why...it just snuck up on me and I went with it. Now I need your help, though."

His eyes had widened progressively as she spoke, and now they were shining with adventure and intrigue. "My spells are all yours, little sparrow!"

She smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that. I need you to cast an invisibility charm on me so I can sneak back on that ship before they leave."

Auric blinked. "Er...okay. That's weird. Why would you need to sneak back on if he already invited you?"

"Because he's planning on going off to Zarn, and he won't let me come with him."

The lashran model backed off a little, alarm flitting over his bronzed features. "Zarn? As in the same Zarn that no more news is coming out of because of the big fat pirate invasion that's going on? Rhia, I spoke with Evindar last night and not even Orindel knows what the hell's happening. Why would you want to go there at a time like this?"

"Because the Wayfarers are fighting back against the Rippers," she explained, "trying to keep them from taking over all the smaller islands. Tristan and his crew are going to help and...and I think I'm in love with him."

Auric's expression predictably softened. "Oh? Oh...oh, love...that's...damn it, that isn't fair!"

"I know, right? He's dumping me off here and going off to maybe get himself killed, and I can't stand the thought of just waiting around, not knowing if he's still alive or dead! I also need to know if this is real, or if I'm just infatuated with him because of the thrill of who and what he is. You understand, don't you?"

"Well yeah, but that isn't what I meant. I mean it's not fair for you to throw this at me." He gestured at her with a helplessly torn expression on his comely face, looking tragically sympathetic. "In love with a pirate, forced to wait while he goes off to war, desperately trying to be at his side...it just smacks of a good romance novel! You _know_ how that compromises my common sense! If Trinity were here, she'd—"

"She _isn't_ here, and with good reason." Rhiannon took his hands in hers and she gazed at him pleadingly. "Auric, this man isn't like Chip. He's not really a champion either, but he treats me well and when I'm with him, I feel so alive and free and...and special. I need to know if it's real. I'm not going to be able to sleep, otherwise, and this is the only guy I've even _looked_ at since Chip. You know that. It is _so_ important to me that I get on that ship...no matter how crazy it sounds."

He stared at her, and he sighed. "Love's a crazy thing. The fact that you're willing to do something so risky tells me you've already got the answer to your question, but I'm going to give you some advice; just like you did me when I first set my sights on Eredin. Be careful, okay? If you put too much into this and he doesn't feel it back, you're going to get hurt. It doesn't matter to me that he's a pirate like it does to Trinity, but she's got one good point and it's that those people are known for lying, cheating and stealing. Keep that in mind."

"I know," she answered with a swallow. "I sure can pick 'em, huh?"

Auric smiled. "I think your taste has improved, actually."

She bit her lip. "So will you help me?"

He sighed and glanced at the window. "For love?" A smile flitted over his lips and he looked back at her again. "Girl, you know me."

She hugged him abruptly. "Oh, _thank you_! You are officially my favorite person on Wyndrah, right now! I've just got to pack some snacks and a couple of changes of clothes. I just need to stay hidden until we reach Zarnian waters, and I think I found the perfect place on the ship. I'll do that real quick, and you go down to the tavern and have something to eat or drink. I'll text you when Tristan leaves and we can get moving."

* * *

Auric went down to the tavern as planned, and though he wasn't normally one to imbibe so early in the day, his mind was on Vodka. "I can't believe I'm about to send one of my best friends off to some pirate war," he muttered under his breath. He debated whether he should tell his lover about it later, and he imagined Eredin's disapproving expression. No, maybe not.

As he entered the common room and looked for a table, he spotted the man guilty of stealing Rhiannon's heart and he looked him over thoughtfully. The age gap certainly made no nevermind to him, seeing as his own boyfriend was a couple centuries ahead of him. Tristan Hunter was built nicely, and as the man leaned over to order something from the bartender, Auric smirked at the way his pants fit over his backside. The pirate sensed his gaze and glanced at him, and Auric shamelessly gave the "thumbs-up".

"Nice," he said in passing to Captain Hunter as he walked by.

Most straight human guys got flustered or even violent when he paid them flirty compliments, but the pirate just grinned, tipped his hat and answered in a cheerful tone. "Thanks. I try."

Auric immediately decided that he liked him, and he felt a little better about his decision to help Rhiannon be at his side.

* * *

"Damn, baby...you're making it hard for me to leave," Tristan said honestly, a short while later when he joined Rhiannon in her flat and witnessed her shedding her robe. Beneath it, she was wearing a lacy combination of a red, white-laced bra and panties. He took his hat off and tossed it on the bed, keeping his eyes on her as he reached for his phone. "Know what would make this picture even better? If you're wearing my hat."

Rhiannon was blushing prettily, and she glanced at the hat in question now sitting on her bed. "If you say so." She picked it up and put it on her head, and then she poked her tongue out playfully at him.

Tristan laughed. "Come on, no silly faces. Gimme that smolder and strike a pose like you're trying to seduce me."

"I have to try now?" She splayed her fingers and put her hands on her hips, shifting her stance.

"Nope, but I still like the pose. Yeah, just like that. Don't forget the hat."

She leaned over to grab the hat, and she placed it on her curly head. Putting her hands back on her hips, she smiled at him. "I feel so goofy."

"Well you look like a treat I could just spend all day licking on," he informed her. He opened the camera application on his phone and he held it up. "That's my little pirate lass. Mm, mm, mm."

"I don't think pirate lasses usually blush this much," she stated, visibly fighting giggles.

"That just makes you an exceptional one." Tristan took a couple of snapshots, checked them and nodded. "Oh yeah, that's going to make my nights a lot less lonely."

"Well, good." She approached him after grabbing up her own camera. "And now it's your turn, Captain. Lose the clothes."

"Oooh, demanding little wench." He grinned and tugged his bandanna off, before unbuttoning his long jacket. "You want me naked for this?"

She nodded. "I was going to go with shirtless, but...well..."

He chuckled, tossing the jacket aside and unbuttoning his shirt to bare his chest. "Doesn't seem fair. You wore your undies for yours."

"But I _know_ I won't be showing off my picture of you to anyone," she informed with a shrug. "I'm not sure I can trust you to do the same."

"Awe, don't you trust me?" He was smiling though, and he didn't pause in his disrobing. "I guess I can't blame you. Maybe some day, though."

She hesitated in her fiddling with the phone. "If you really want me to, I'll let you take one of me in the nude."

He stopped in the process of unfastening his pants, seriously considering the offer. After looking her up and down for a moment, he shrugged. "Know what? I like the ones I took. This way I get to think about what it'll be like to unwrap you like a gift and enjoy all that pert goodness underneath, when I come back."

"Gah, how can you make me blush any harder than I already was?" She patted her cheeks with one hand, one at a time.

"I love making you blush." He finished undoing his pants and he pulled his boots off. "Want me on the bed, cutie?"

She nodded. "S-sure."

He resisted another chuckle, and he tugged his pants and underwear down before climbing onto the bed as requested. He relaxed upon it, stretching out on his back and threading his fingers behind his head. He bent one leg and looked up at her as she stood at the foot of the bed and readied her phone for the picture. "I've got to wonder if you'll ever touch yourself when you look at this, while I'm away."

"Shh, Tristan," she muttered in an embarrassed tone.

"What? Nothing wrong with a little self-loving when you're feeling frisky and don't have a partner handy. I'd like it if you did that while thinking of me." He glanced down at his groin. "See? It's getting me all excited just thinking about it."

"Oh gawds," she groaned. "You are such a perv."

"Says the lady that insisted I be naked," he chuckled.

Rhiannon snapped the picture and replaced her phone in her purse on her vanity. "Okay, I'm now red all over. Mission accomplished."

He got off the bed and walked over to her. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he bent his head and kissed her neck from behind, where it met her shoulder. "My mission wasn't to make you feel embarrassed. I just want you to feel comfy with me, and with yourself."

She closed her eyes as his lips traveled up the side of her neck. "I'm not flinching, am I?"

Tristan smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her tightly up against him. "Nope. Doesn't it feel good?"

Her eyes opened, and she started at him through the mirror. Her curls draped her shoulders and upper arms, and her lips parted in wonderment. "Yes. It _does_ feel good." The borrowed hat cast a shadow over her brown eyes, but he could see the glimmer of desire in them through the reflection.

His arousal increased, and he eased one bra strap down over her shoulder. "Rhia, I don't think a few goodbye kisses are enough for me."

She leaned her head back against his chest, and she laid her hands over the one resting on her stomach. "Me either."

Tristan slid the other bra strap down and he rubbed against her, now fully invested in plundering her one last time, before he shoved off. "Then let's get you naked."

* * *

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry," whispered Rhiannon a little more than an hour later, after Tristan left and she went down to the tavern to join her friend.

Auric looked her over, taking in her mussed hair, flushed cheeks and the telling pink mark on her neck. He merely grinned. "You can make it up to me by giving me every juicy detail, when you come back. Nice hat, by the way. It's a little big on you but your hair seems thick enough to keep it from swallowing your head."

She patted the tricorn on her head, and she smiled sheepishly. "Tristan let me keep it. I guess he's got plenty of hats."

"Hmph...cute." Auric looked at the backpack she sported. "Are you sure you've got everything you need?"

She nodded excitedly. "I'm good to go. Ready?"

"Ready as I can be," he muttered. "I just hope we aren't making a big mistake."

"I'll be fine," she assured him. "Like I said; all I've got to do is hide away long enough for it to be too late for him to turn around and bring me back. I've got enough snacks for a day or two, and I know where all the food and water is stored at when I run out."

He chuckled. "So you're going to stowaway on that ship and steal food and drink from pirates while you're at it. Are you even the same Rhiannon I used to know?"

"I'm the new and improved version," she smirked, "but I'm still me. Now come on...I don't want to risk them taking off without me."

* * *

The next morning, Lotus was checking the cargo hold while listening to her media player. She absently sang the jaunty song as she went along, taking inventory. She knew they had enough food to get them to and from Zarn, but she recalled all too clearly the time when their stores got spoiled and half of them ended up with scurvy because they had no nutritional variety. The new cold storage locker was operating as intended, so there was no concern about the dairy, fish, meat and veggies stored within going bad. She began to open the grain barrels one at a time, checking for any sign of contamination or mold.

When she made it to the rice barrel, she thought she saw a flash of movement from the corner of her eye and she immediately whirled, beaming her flashlight in the direction it had come from. She saw nothing at first, but then she noticed that the old, broken meat locker was open a crack. Narrowing her eyes, she turned off her music and she reached for her gun.

"Who's down here?" she called. Only herself and the cook ever came down here, and Beans wasn't the kind of guy to play pranks. "I'm not in the bloody mood. Skidder...Ian...if that's either of you I should warn you I might just shoot your balls off if you jump out at me."

There was no answer, and she approached the old meat locker suspiciously. Maybe it was just rats, but they'd gotten stowaways before in the past, and the crew had told her about one time when a Ripper saboteur had made it on board after a night of hard partying, while everyone was in a drunken stupor.

"Not on _my_ watch," she whispered, more than ready for a fight. Keeping her firearm ready, she made it to the meat locker and she put the end of her small flashlight in her mouth to hold it steady. Yanking open the door, she prepared to fire. Nobody jumped out at her, but she detected a rustle off to the left under the shelves and she shone the light in that direction. What she at first thought might be a sack of potatoes moved just slightly, and she kept her gun trained on it as she approached. She nudged it with her boot and she heard a female voice complain.

"All right, who are you and what are you about?" demanded Lotus. "I'll shoot you in a second if you don't...oh."

The sack of potatoes shifted, and a familiar head of auburn curls peeked out, followed by a pair of doe-like, brown eyes. The sack answered her in an anxious voice. "I...I'm sorry. Please don't tell him I'm here."

Dumbfounded, the normally surly piratess stared for a moment. "Rhiannon?"

The curly head nodded. "Surprise."

Lotus began to laugh, and she lowered the pistol and shook her head. "Are you _kidding_ me?"

"Um...no. I'm pretty serious," answered Rhiannon. She lowered the sack that she'd evidently intended to use as camouflage, revealing her pixie-like features. The desperate look in her eyes was testament enough to her resolve. "I have to come with. I don't want to cause trouble, but...it's really important."

The older woman contained her mirth long enough to look into those heartfelt eyes again, and she figured out exactly what was going on. "Oh honey...you've got it _bad_."

* * *

-To be continued


	6. Chapter 6

"I really don't 'have it bad'," Rhiannon insisted for perhaps the fourth time since Lotus found her stowing away. Lotus was kind enough to bring her a pillow, a blanket and a plate of fried fish after finding her, and the pirate woman listened as Rhiannon tried to justify her actions. "I just can't stand not knowing if he you guys made it through the fight or not. That's all."

"Mm-hmm." The sly look on the other woman's face said she wasn't a bit fooled, and Rhiannon blushed and looked away. "Well I hate to tell you this, but I have to tell the Cap'n you're on board."

"No you don't!" Rhiannon shook her head. "Please, just give me until we reach Zarn."

"By then it'll be too late to take you back, unless we want to miss the battle." Lotus tilted her head and toyed with her braid. "Or is that your plan in the first place?"

"No, I don't want to make you miss the fight. I just want to be there for it."

Lotus sighed. "Why? If it's not because of how you feel about him, then why are you so determined to be involved? Captain Hunter's sailed off and come back plenty of times before, so what makes this time so different for you?"

"B-because I...I don't know. I feel like I was starting to wake up from a stupor. I've been sleepwalking through my life, and after sailing on this ship with you guys and seeing how you live, I guess it just woke something up in me."

"And here you kept insisting you aren't pirate material." Lotus smirked.

"I don't know if I am or not," admitted Rhiannon. "I just know I'm questioning myself now, and I need to find out if what I'm feeling is real."

It was truthful enough. It wasn't just about her feelings for Tristan, but his lifestyle as well. She wished she had the courage to just tell Lotus the whole truth and admit she just might "have it bad" as she suggested, but it scared her. She gazed at the other woman pleadingly, willing her to understand and cut her a break.

"Rhia, the Captain wanted you safe in Valkyrie Falls for a _reason_ ," said Lotus after some thought. "You know what we're going into won't be a walk in the park. Obviously you know some of us could end up dead. Tristan just wants to protect you and if I go behind his back and help you stow away like this, he's going to flip the fuck out."

"Maybe not," hedged Rhiannon. "He was the one that kept trying to convince me I'd make a great pirate wench."

Lotus sighed again. "He might _say_ that, but of all his girlfriends I think you're the one he's most protective of. That's going to be distracting for him when the fighting starts, you know."

Rhiannon lowered her gaze and shrugged. "I'll stay out of any direct fighting. I just want to be there to help, even if it's all below deck. I just can't stand the thought of waiting around, not knowing if I'll ever see any of you again."

Lotus grimaced. "I can relate to that on some level, Rhiannon...I really can. I'm just in a really bad position here. I don't want to crush your hopes, but I don't want to go against my captain either or put you in harm's way."

Rhiannon felt her hopes rapidly dashed away. "I...I understand. I'm sorry I put you in this position. I should have hid a little better. Maybe this was just a stupid idea on my part."

The other woman snorted. "A landlubber sneaking on a ship bound for a war isn't really the brightest idea I've heard of...but it also proves you've got some gumption."

Lotus stood up, put her hands on her hips and sighed. "And the longer I put it off, the further out to sea we get and the longer it's going to take to get you back home and get back on course. Dammit, why me?"

Rhiannon winced guiltily. "I'm sorry," she said again in a small voice. "Maybe I'm just out of my mind."

The piratess laughed dryly. "Then you're in great company. We're all a little crazy on this boat. Have to be, to live this sort of life." She sighed and checked her watch. "I'm sorry honey, but I can't let this happen. We're off schedule as it is."

"Okay," sighed Rhiannon. "Thanks for lunch and the bedding."

Lotus hesitated one moment longer, and then she left, closing the meat locker's door behind her. Rhiannon sat in her hiding place and finished her meal by lantern light, trying not to be too disappointed in her failure. What sort of loon did this kind of thing, anyhow? And for what...just to find out how she really felt about a guy?

"What was I thinking?" Groaned Rhiannon.

* * *

Lotus hesitated outside the captain's cabin door, her hand poised to knock. She recalled a time when she wasn't so very different from Rhiannon; stretching her wings, trying to find her way in life. She remembered how the sea called to her after she set sail with a crew for the first time. She remembered how eagerly she'd signed up to join the crew of the Sea Lion and start learning everything she could about nautical life. She never even left the ship the last two times they docked in Valkyrie Falls, so she didn't get to meet Rhiannon until this last visit. She liked the girl, and she sympathized with her plight.

But she had a duty to her crew and captain to think of, and taking on a passenger at a time like this was a terrible idea. With a little sigh and a silent apology to Rhiannon, Lotus knocked on the door to the captain's quarters and waited for him to bid her come in.

"Afternoon, Cap'n," she greeted as she stepped into the cabin. Tristan was sitting at his desk, looking unusually somber. He turned in his seat to look up at her as she approached, and Lotus noted that he'd pulled up a picture of Rhiannon and himself on the computer; taken on the second day of their journey together. "Oh, that turned out nice."

Tristan looked at it and he smiled, nodding. "Yeah. I'm going to send it to her in an email. Thought she might like a copy herself. What's up?"

The woman hesitated, her gaze flicking to the digital photo on the screen. He looked so damned happy in it, and so did Rhiannon. He had one arm around her waist and one hand holding his hat down on his head. It was windy when the picture was taken, and it had nearly blown off his head while Blinky was preparing the camera for a photo. Rhiannon was wearing the do-rag that Lotus had given her, leaning into Tristan's embrace with a dimpled smile on her face.

"You zoning out on me?" Tristan smirked at her. "Whatcha need, Lotus?"

She shook herself out of it. "Uh, I've got something to report. Don't freak out, okay? She didn't mean any harm."

His smile faded into a frown. "Who didn't mean any harm? Rhia? What'd she do?"

Lotus thought of the look on his face when he'd gotten the redhead's S.O.S. message in New Tariff, and the way he'd taking off running like someone lit a fire under his arse. She'd _never_ seen him look that way over a woman before. Then there was the way he'd held her when he brought her back. The more she thought of it, the more she began to think that maybe Rhiannon wasn't the only one that had it bad. Tristan was just too thick to see it, and Rhiannon...well, she was doing what any smart woman might do when realizing she was falling for a rogue that never pledged his heart to anyone.

"She broke one of your favorite steins," fabricated Lotus swiftly. "I caught her trying to glue it back together last night. I didn't want to say anything, but I figured you'd find out when the handle comes off in your hand, so it's better I tell you now. Don't be mad at her, okay? It was an accident and she did try to fix it."

He seemed puzzled for a moment, and then he shrugged. "It's just a stein. I've broken two of 'em myself over other pirate's heads. Don't know why you thought I'd have a meltdown over that." He started to grin. "So she tried to fix it, huh? That's cute. Don't toss it out...I think I'm going to hang onto it as a souvenir."

"You are a very strange man," sighed Lotus. "All right, Cap. I'll put it somewhere safe. I'd better get back to my duties now."

She left then, and she paused on the deck as she wondered why in the hell she'd just changed her mind. "Right. Now I've got to go break a stein," she sighed. She was going to be in for it when Tristan discovered their little stowaway, but she didn't have the heart to rat out Rhiannon.

* * *

She was expecting Tristan to come yank the door of her hiding place open at any moment, and Rhiannon sat there bracing herself for over an hour. He never came. Instead, Lotus returned and she closed the door behind her as she joined her on the floor of the old meat locker.

"All right girl, here's the deal," said the brunette, "I'm probably the biggest dumbass on Wyndrah for doing this, but I'm going to keep your secret. If someone else catches you, you're on your own. When the captain finds out about you, it's up to _you_ to handle him, got it? I've got to cover my ass at least a little bit."

Rhiannon perked up. "Really? You won't tell him?"

Lotus sighed. "I won't tell him. I'll even bring you food when I can and I'll bring you a bucket to do your business in so you don't have to risk getting caught going too and from the latrine. It's not the best pisser in the world but I'll empty it for you a couple times a day so you don't have to sit here with the smell wafting up your nose the whole time."

"Oh, you don't have to empty my...stuff." Rhiannon blushed at the thought.

"I deal with worse smells every day," assured Lotus. "But just remember: I never saw you and didn't know you were here, understand?"

Rhiannon nodded enthusiastically. "Got it! Mum's the word!"

* * *

Unaware that the woman he'd dropped off at Valkyrie Falls was hiding on his ship, Tristan kept the course steady and communications open. He reached Star finally, and she informed him that the Wayfarers were mobilizing to converge on Voldus. Antyan was apparently holding off for a bit, which she didn't understand in the least. Apparently he wanted to be sure the Ripper forces were spread out enough to give them more of an advantage. Star wasn't one for being overly cautious though, and she was of the mind that the longer they waited, the more likely it was that the enemy would move in on Oricus...and then they'd have _three_ islands to try and take back, rather than two.

"Just be patient, sexy," he advised her. "We're making better time than I thought we would. Might even make it for the advance, at this rate. I think we ought to be in Zarn waters by this time tomorrow."

"Well, I should warn you now we'll be on communications silence once it starts," she informed him. "You've got the coordinates, aye?"

"Yup, got 'em dialed in right now. I guess if anything changes between now and when we get there and you can't give me a holler, we'll find out when we arrive."

"Looks like the plan's still solid right now," she assured him. "We're just waiting for the starter pistol to get fired."

He nodded. "All right then. See you soon, Star." He hung up the phone and went back to the captain's chair, plopping down on it with a little sigh. He reached for the cooler between his and the co-pilot's seat to get a beer out of it, and he leaned back as he popped the top and took a swig.

"Need some music," he decided. The ship was way too quiet for his liking. Tristan flipped some switches and turned on the media device connected to the ship's speaker system, and he selected some music. Soon every deck of the Sea Lion had his favorite rock music playing through the speakers, and he kicked back and relaxed, shutting his eyes.

"Yeah, I like this one." It was a classic tune with a good beat—about women and sex, of course. He grinned as one verse mentioned a redhead, and his thoughts went to all the fun he'd had with Rhiannon while she was on board. She was definitely a little firecracker, once she got started. She'd gone down on him in her flat when they had their goodbye sex, reminding him that when she felt confident enough to offer such a treat, she could make a man's toes curl.

His eyes popped open and a frown tugged at his lips. Huh. That was funny. He'd just gotten off the bell with Star, and yet his thoughts immediately went to Rhiannon. He'd have thought the feisty lashran woman would have been the one on his mind, seeing as he'd just spoken with her. He sat up a little and took another swig of his beer, puzzled. He purposely thought of his other girlfriends. Caitlin...Hanna...

Tristan blinked. He couldn't remember the other one's name. "Star," he muttered, counting on his fingers. "Caitlin, Hanna, Rhiannon and...er..."

That had never happened to him before. He pulled out his cellular phone and went through his pictures to find the blond woman's photo. "Alison! That's right."

All at once, he felt like he should be ducking a slap. No matter how many women he had in his life, he'd never forgotten any of their names or gotten said names mixed up during sex. He'd never had one of them dominate his thoughts more than the other either, and he hadn't even been involved with Rhiannon as long as he had with the others. He flipped through the pictures stored on his phone, and when he came to the most recent one he'd taken of the redhead in her cute lacy undergarments. He considered it thoughtfully as he sipped his beer, admiring her petite form.

"That's got to be one magic pussy you've got, sweet stuff."

He couldn't really blame the lapse on her. She hadn't tried to discourage him from seeing other women or ask if he'd ever think of settling down. If he was having trouble getting her out of his thoughts, it was on him. Maybe it was because she was the last one he'd had sex with, but it still had never happened to him before.

"Cap'n, you in there?" Beans' voice came in over the bridge's intercom.

Tristan cut the music down in there and answered. "Yo-ho, keeping her steady."

"I think you might want to head down to the cargo hold. I found something unexpected when I went to check the larder inventory."

The captain scratched his beard. "Don't tell me we've got spoiled supplies again."

"No, that's not the problem. I really think you should come see for yourself, Cap'n."

Tristan sighed. "Fine, be secretive. I'll be down in a minute." He set the autopilot after checking the course, and then he went down to meet with the ship's cook. "All right, tell me what's so damned important that you couldn't just tell me over the intercom."

Beans shrugged and walked over to the old meat locker. He opened it up and there, sleeping soundly, was the very young woman Tristan couldn't seem to get out of his mind. The pirate captain stared at her curled up form for a moment, and then he looked at his cook as he pointed at her.

"Why is there a Rhia in our old freezer?"

Beans shrugged his broad shoulders and scratched his bald head. "Beats me, boss. I was going to move some non-perishables in there to get 'em out of the way so I could mop the floor, and there she was."

Tristan stared at her again, watching the lamplight behind him cast his shadow over her. "Huh. Well, shit."

* * *

She awoke to the feel of someone pinching her butt, and Rhiannon yelped and sat up. She blinked the sleep from her eyes and found herself looking at Tristan, who was squatting beside her with an inquisitive look on his handsome face.

"How about we start with you telling me how you managed to sneak back on without any of my crew spotting you," suggested the pirate, "and then maybe we can rap about why."

She bit her lip and looked at him sheepishly. Her gaze drawn to the glint of the hoops piercing his ears. "I used magic, and I did it for reasons."

His lips twitched, but his face retained a neutral expression beyond that. It was hard to tell if he was angry, impressed or frustrated. "Magic. You never told me you were a caster."

"I'm not," she admitted. "I enlisted the help of my friend to get me back on the ship."

"Okay, then what are these 'reasons' you mentioned?" He remained in his squatting position with his hands dangling between his thighs.

She shrugged. "I told you I didn't want to be left wondering if you were all alive or dead. I couldn't stand it, so I had my friend cast an invisibility spell on me and I hid on board so I could come with you. Please don't be mad."

Tristan sighed and removed his hat, then he pulled the bandanna off that he'd been wearing beneath it. He set them both aside and he combed his fingers through his hair. "Your crazy, you know that?"

"I've come to that conclusion myself," she agreed, wincing guiltily. "I don't even fully understand why I had to do this, Tristan. I just did."

He looked away with a grimace, and she feared he might start ranting. Then he looked at her again and shook his head, a grin forming on his lips. He laughed softly. "Damn. You're a tenacious little thing. You realize it's too late for me to turn back, now? If you get scared and change your mind, that's just too bad."

"I know. I'm not going to change my mind, even if I get scared." She offered a hesitant smile. "I've been in a lot of scary situations before, but I survived them."

He clicked his tongue. "Nothing like this, though. Well, you might as well come out of there." He stood up and offered his hand to her. "Come on, sneaky. Now that you've landed yourself in this shit, I'd better go over some things with you."

She took his hand and allowed him to help her to her feet. "So...you aren't angry?"

He grabbed his discarded hat and bandana, and he shrugged. "I'm a little perturbed, but you're hear now and it is what it is. Might as well give you a crash course so I can keep your pretty little butt from being blown apart. Grab your bag and let's go."

She did as he said, following him quietly to the captains cabin and blushing furiously as the crew stopped and stared when they passed by them. They were as surprised to see her as Tristan—save Lotus. Rhiannon saw her subtly cross her fingers as they walked past her, and she felt a little heartened to know that at least one person on the ship was wishing her luck.

* * *

"Okay, first thing you need to know is from now on, I'm your captain and you do what I say."

Rhiannon blinked up at her boyfriend...or her friend with benefits...whatever. She sat on the edge of the bed and he stood over her, looking uncommonly serious. "Um...okay."

"You seem confused. Let me make it easier for you." He crossed his arms over his chest, booted feet easily balancing with the motions of the ship. "Since you're so determined to join my crew and risk having that sweet tush blown to smithereens, I might as well make it official. Well, at least until we get through this and get you back home. That means you defer to me and you don't argue with my orders, like any other crew member."

"I've seen plenty of them argue with your orders before," she pointed out.

"Eh...that's no excuse. You're a rookie and you've barely even got your sea legs yet." He sat down on the bed with her and he cupped her chin in his hand, his hazel eyes gazing into hers. "They argue with my orders sometimes because they've been with me a while and they know what the hell they're doing. You don't. If I make a call then you abide by it, Rhia. I'm serious. We can play in the bedroom but when we're out there, I'm your boss."

"I understand." She watched him uncertainly and she tried not to flinch. He must have noticed it, because he gentled his touch and he stroked her hair.

"I'm not doing it to be mean. I'm doing it to keep you alive, kiddo. This is the real thing and even though we like to have fun when we're out there, whether we're delivering cargo, heading into a fight or just cruising around, everyone does their part. Yours is going to be to pay attention and let me keep you safe, deal?"

She nodded. "Aye, captain. So what's my first order?"

He smirked. "Get cleaned up and changed. Then we'll have something to eat and fire off some practice rounds on the upper deck. I want to make sure you can hit 'em if you end up in a situation where you've got to shoot someone."

* * *

Well, Tristan said for her to get cleaned up and changed, but he came back into the cabin just as she was stepping out of the bathroom, and a different plan sprang to mind at the sight of her wrapped up in a towel, all fresh and smelling good from her shower. She looked up at him as she began to towel-dry her hair, and he smiled and took his hat off to toss it on his desk.

"Uh-oh. I know that look," she remarked as he locked the door and began to cross the room to her. "Hey, I thought you wanted to eat and have some shooting practice." Her pulse quickened as he stopped before her and put his arms around her, the lecherous look never fading from his eyes.

"Yeah, well...we can spare an hour or so." Tristan lowered his mouth to hers for a kiss, having seemingly forgiven her for undermining his decision to leave her in Valkyrie Falls.

Rhiannon giggled as his kisses moved on to her neck and his facial hair tickled her skin. She pushed lightly against his chest, without any real desire to escape him. "Nuh-uh, mister. You were pretty strict about the lesson plan."

"Changed my mind," he mumbled, his hands tugging at her towel to relieve her of it. "And I'm the captain, so there."

She knew he wouldn't really make her do it if she didn't want to, so she played along with the game. "Then I guess I've got to do what you tell me."

His lips grinned against her throat, and as the towel drifted to the floor, he cupped her naked bottom and lifted her against him. "Now you're talking."

He carried her over to the bed as she wrapped her legs around him, and he turned around to sit down on it with her straddling his lap. His breath was warm and heavy against her flesh as his hands explored her body, and his groin strained against his pants, rubbing against her through the barrier of clothing. He laid back on the bed with his legs dangling over the foot of it, his hands cupping her hips as he gazed up at her.

"How about this way, little mermaid?"

She nodded, faintly nervous. This was a position she wasn't used to trying. He was the only man she'd ever done it with, in fact. Chip always liked to be on top, so it was still new to her. Tristan's smile softened encouragingly, and he guided her hands to his chest to encourage her to start unbuttoning his shirt.

"Have your way with me, baby. You set the pace."

Rhiannon began to flick open the buttons, and she made herself hold his gaze as she revealed his lightly furred chest, little by little. "Am I forgiven, Mr. Pirate?"

He nodded. "Mm-hmm. Hard to be angry with such a hot little wench for long, anyway."

She smiled and parted the material of his shirt, running one palm over his chest and abs before working his belt and pants open. "I'll make it up to you."

"I like the sound of that." He closed his eyes and sighed as she eased his erection out of his pants and gave it a stroke, briefly toying with his piercing. His hands slid up her thigh, and the right one sought out her loins to fondle her in return. The other one moved up her ribcage to cup a breast. "Nothing like riding a guy's cock to make it up to him."

She had to agree, and soft gasps emitted from her as his skilled fingers began to massage her sensitive flesh. Rhiannon began to undulate on top of him; hesitantly at first and then with greater confidence and passion as his attentions made her inhibitions melt away. She stroked him faster and she bent over to kiss him, her tongue seeking out his. He paused in his fondling of her breasts to reach up and cup the back of her damp head, deepening the kiss. His muffled groan of pleasure left little doubt he was enjoying her efforts, and it didn't take long for Rhiannon to be ready for him. She moaned against his lips as he left off fondling her to guide himself in, and she sank down on his length slowly.

"Mm, that's good," he informed huskily as she sheathed him. He urged her head down for another kiss, and his hips began to pump. Rhiannon matched his thrusts, unable to hold back her moans as she rode him. He was patient with her, cupping her hips to help her find a good rhythm, keeping his thrusts slow and gentle until she adjusted.

Impassioned by the odd feeling of control, she kissed her way down from his mouth to his chest, gasping against the expanse of it. She quickened her pace a bit and she flicked her tongue against one of his nipples, fingers curling against his chest. "Tristan," she gasped, her pelvis jerking restlessly. She was getting frustrated, because he kept bumping against that spot inside that felt so good, but she couldn't seem to find the angle to stimulate it enough.

"Easy, baby," he soothed, picking up on the note of aggravation. He urged her to straighten up again and he guided her hips, helping her angle her pelvis a bit. Her breath caught and she whimpered, clenching around him impulsively. He smiled at her and rotated his hips. "How's that?"

"Muh...uh-huh," Rhiannon managed, her hands dropping over the bigger ones cupping her hips. She shuddered as she rode him, aided by his more experienced efforts. Building...oh, it was building so fast. He started pumping rapidly beneath her, nudging in with persistence and care until she started quivering and moaning uncontrollably.

"Come on, Rhia," he breathed, watching the telling flush grow on her cheeks and the tensing expression on her face. "Ride that wave, honey."

She had no choice but to 'ride it', or she was going to drown. She cried his name as it peaked and when she started clenching around him, he bellowed a passionate cry himself and joined her. Panting for breath, the two of them got caught up in the bliss of their gratification and the world around them became insignificant, for a brief time. It ended all too soon, but in its wake came the reward of the afterglow. Rhiannon sighed and bent over to lay her head on his chest, her torso still heaving with her labored breath. His hands stroked her back with slow, soothing motions and he kissed the crown of her head.

"See?" he panted. "Aren't you glad I changed my mind about food and shooting practice before play?"

She smiled and nodded, closing her eyes. "Mmm."

* * *

There wasn't much time left to improve her aim, but Tristan made her keep at it with the practice rounds from the time they finished lunch until it was time for dinner. She almost hit the center of the bulls-eye a couple of times by the end of it, and those on the crew to witness it cheered her for it and offered encouragement. Tristan came back out from the bridge to declare the lessons over, and he smiled toothily at the evidence of her improvement.

"That's real good," he approved. "Just remember; odds are you'll be taking aim at a moving target, if it turns out you've got to use your pistol. I'll do my damndest to make sure that doesn't happen, but you need to remember to aim a little ahead of where you're trying to hit, if it does. It's all about anticipation, sweet stuff. Just don't hesitate. If it's wearing Ripper colors and it's coming at you, take it down."

Rhiannon nodded and opened the bullet chamber of the revolver to empty the practice rounds from it and replace them with the deadlier variety. She closed the chamber, clicked the safety and holstered the small firearm in the thigh holster she'd been given. She looked up at him and she offered a nervous little smile.

"You've seen how I can be when I'm cornered."

He patted her shoulder. "I'm counting on that. Now come on, let's go get some grub and toss a few back."

"I don't think I should drink too much," she hedged. "I don't want my head to be all fuzzy tomorrow when we make it there."

"I'm not asking you to drink a keg," he chuckled. "Just have a couple drinks to take the edge off. Some of these scallywags keep a flask on 'em at all times in a fight."

"Courage in liquid form, huh?" She smiled again. "Okay, well...you're the captain and if you order me to have a drink or two, I guess I'd better do it."

"You're learning." He put an arm around her and guided her away toward the hatch.

* * *

After having a meal of braised beef, potatoes and corn, they went to the mess hall to hang out with some of the crew. Skidder was playing an accordion and singing an old sea shanty, which the others sang along with him. Rhiannon watched it all with a smile, listening to the words and trying to memorize them. Sometimes she couldn't tell what time period she was in on this ship. But then Tristan would blast his modern music over the speaker system, reminding her that it was the year 3429. While she sipped the rum cocktail she'd been given, Tam showed her how to tie different knots in a rope. It was unlikely that she'd need to make use of it anytime soon but it was nice to learn a few basic things about seafaring that she'd never known before.

After they had a couple of drinks, Blinky showed her how to load the ship's gun turrets—under Tristan's watchful eye. "I don't think the captain's going to want you doing this," whispered the Bargel as he explained safety measures and precautions when handling such ammunition. He glanced over his shoulder at said captain, and Rhiannon did the same.

"I can carry the shells," insisted the petite redhead with a little sigh upon noticing the hint of doubt on his face. "Just because I'm small doesn't mean I can't pull my weight."

Tristan nodded at the trunk below the turret's track, which had been elevated up from the magazine below. "If you're trying to carry 'em, you're doing it wrong. It's done by hoist and no, you _couldn't_ carry those shells because they weigh about a half ton each. _I_ couldn't carry one of them."

She flushed, embarrassed. It amazed her that this ship could carry so much weight and not only stay afloat, but move at such speeds over the water. She had a lot to learn. "Well, you didn't give him the chance to tell me that."

Tristan chuckled. "I didn't say a thing, cutie. I was just standing here watching."

"But...you had a look..." it sounded lame to her own ears.

The captain shrugged, amusement lighting his eyes. "So? My girl's talking handling heavy artillery. So sue me if I'm not keen on the thought of you having an accident and getting maimed trying to help out down here."

Rhiannon sighed and turned back to Blinky. "So anyway, you were saying? How do I operate the loading equipment, if we can't do it by hand?"

Blinky resumed the lesson, though as he said; it was doubtful that Tristan would allow her to actively participate in manning the turrets. As Rhiannon understood it, they were all operated by a targeting system—which was operated by a select artillery crew, the captain and his first mate. The front and rear hull turrets were under the captain and first mate's control, while the side turrets were run by the artillery crew. It made Tristan's earlier remark about everybody doing their part that much more significant. She was just beginning to see how much was involved in the running and maintenance of a ship.

After getting a demonstration of loading the turrets, Rhiannon got dragged up to the crow's nest by Tristan. She thought he was going to show her some feature about it that she'd missed before, but when he shut the hatch and advanced on her for a kiss, she realized his true intention.

"W-wait," she mumbled against his lips. "I'm not going to be able to walk tomorrow if we keep doing this!"

He chuckled and broke the kiss, smiling down at her. "We don't have to do it, Rhia. I just want to get a few smoochies in the crow's nest before I've got to start assigning people to man it. Sun's going down." He nodded at the window, where the last rays of daylight were sinking into the horizon. "Don't you want to take advantage of the view for a while? We'll be heading into some weather by around midnight, so this is the last chance to enjoy it for a while."

She turned around to gaze out the window, and she relaxed. "It really _is_ pretty."

He embraced her from behind, rubbing his cheek against hers. "Sure is. Not as pretty as you, though."

Rhiannon smiled and leaned back against him. "You're a romantic at heart, aren't you?"

He smiled. "It has some advantages." His lips moved lightly against her temple, then softly kissed her neck. She shivered pleasantly in reaction and he released his hold on her with one of his arms to brush her curls aside for better access. He spoke in a husky, teasing voice as his soft kisses caused another shiver of delight. "Am I making you cold again?"

Rhiannon huffed softly. "You know that's not what it is."

Tristan glanced down at her blouse, and he smirked. "Looks like the twins are getting excited."

Her face predictably darkened with a blush, and she stopped him from sliding his hand down her shirt to play. "Behave, Captain Hunter. You said you just wanted kisses."

He laughed softly, but he obligingly backed off and put his arm around her again. "Can't help it. When they say hi like that I just want to give 'em some attention."

"And that always leads to you poking me," she reminded him, grinning in spite of herself. "I'll look like holy cheese soon, if I don't set some boundaries. Where do you get all that energy, anyhow?"

"What can I say?" he murmured, "I'm just an energetic guy. Always have been. Don't worry baby; I'll give you a rest 'till we go to bed."

She almost said she didn't even know if she could take more then, but she reminded herself that they were heading into a naval battle and there was a chance they might not make it out alive. The enormity of the situation started to hit her, and she turned around in his arms to look up at him. She put his arms around his neck and she allowed her eyes to feast on him. Who could have foreseen that she could feel like this about a man, after the road she'd traveled? She never would have imagined herself hooking up with a pirate at all, and after Chip, she was convinced she'd be celibate for years—if not the rest of her life.

"You know what?" she whispered, "I think I'd like to retire early...with a bottle of champagne. Do you have anything else you need to do ship-wise?"

He rubbed her back, looking intrigued. "I've still got to do my evening rounds, but since nothing unusual has been reported, that shouldn't take long." He grinned and leaned down to speak in a seductive whisper, into her ear. "And I'll try to resist poking you for a while. Maybe I'll just dribble champagne on you and lick it off, until you're ready for more poking."

She sighed. Knowing how he set her off, it wouldn't take long for her to declare that the poking could commence. She ran her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck and turned her head to capture his lips in a kiss...and she made it a _good_ one. Tristan's soft groan and the way his arms tightened around her left little doubt that she'd given him something to think about. Rhiannon broke the kiss and pulled away with a mischievous smile.

"Then I'll see you in your cabin, Captain."

She gave his rump a little pat before dodging past him to open the hatch. She snickered under her breath when she chanced a look back at him and saw the expression on his face. Yup, he was primed.

_~Gawds, what did I just get myself into? I think I've had more sex with him over the past few days than I ever did in a month with Chip.~_

* * *

-To be continued


	7. Chapter 7

The next day brought with it a sense of excitement and anxiety, for Rhiannon. She awoke to the sound of the horn blaring, followed by an announcement from Tam over the loud speakers that the captain's presence was required on the bridge. She jerked awake, heart pounding, with the realization that they must be nearing their destination. Tristan was still snoring softly; evidently a heavier sleeper than she was. She shook him urgently to wake him.

"Tristan...get up! They need you on the bridge."

He snorted and frowned, smacking his lips. "In a minute," he mumbled.

She compressed her lips and poked him in the side. "No, not 'in a minute'. Right _now_. The sun's up and it's around the time you said we'd reach Zarn waters."

Actually, the sun wasn't really "up", per say. The heavy cloud cover made the daylight dreary and gray. Still, the clock confirmed that they'd reached their ETA. Tristan opened his eyes and groaned softly. "Ow. Everything hurts."

"That's your fault for all your sexual acrobatics last night," she admonished with an amused smile.

He rolled onto his side and presented his back to her, so that she could see the pattern of scratch marks lining his tanned flesh. "Hey, you're the one that filleted me with your nails."

Rhiannon flushed, mortified. She looked at her hands and decided maybe it was time to trim said nails. They weren't excessively long; just neatly manicured. She hadn't meant to use them as a weapon though. "I...I'm sorry. I didn't even know I was doing that."

He laughed and rolled back over to prop himself up on one arm. "It's all good, cutie. I told you before I like it when a woman marks me up a little...I mean if she's doing it out of pleasure and not pain." He leaned over her to kiss the tip of her nose. "I guess I've just got to get used to not being young anymore."

"You're still young," she protested. "You're forty, not sixty."

He smirked at her. "Yeah, but the aches and pains are more noticeable now than they'd been five or ten years ago." He kissed her again, this time on the mouth. "As long as I can keep up with you, it's cool."

Rhiannon snorted and ran her hands over his chest. Ah, how she loved his body. " _You_ keep up with _me_? I think it's the other way around. You're like a woodpecker. You've got like...Lashran stamina."

He chuckled at that. "Thanks, Rhia. I needed that little ego boost. Looks like you get a rest from being 'pecked at' for a while, eh? Guess I'd better get dressed and haul my ass to the bridge to get this party started."

He pulled the covers down and got out of bed, stopping for a moment to stretch sore muscles. Rhiannon admired the flexing symmetry of his back and buttocks while she could, waiting for him to select his outfit for the day and get his pants on before climbing out of bed herself. Biting her lip, she opened the trunk containing all the clothes she'd acquired on this journey, and she chose the brown trousers, seafarer boots and white blouse. She grabbed the bodice that went with it, along with the tricorn that Tristan had given her. Despite everything they'd done together, she dressed as quickly as she could while his back was turned.

"Damn, I missed it," complained the pirate.

Rhiannon turned to see him gazing at her with a disappointed expression on his face. He'd just buttoned his shirt the rest of the way and he was in the process of putting his vest on. She smirked at him. "Too slow. Maybe next time."

He heaved a dejected sigh and finished putting on his vest, before putting his hat on and following up with his long jacket. "Then I've got to make sure we pull through this so there _is_ a next time." He walked over to her and looked her over. "You look great in my hat, by the way."

She smiled, her anxiety rising. "Thanks. So um...what can I do? Give me some orders, Captain."

He reached out to tweak a curl. "For now, just go up top and get some fresh air, while you can. Once this starts, I'm gonna want you below deck in the cargo hold. It's the safest place for you to be if we happen to get boarded, 'cause they'll have to get through all of us to reach you."

She frowned. "But couldn't I—"

"No," he said, cutting her off with a shake of his head. "Cargo hold, missy, until I tell you otherwise or we start taking on water. If _that_ happens, then you get up top and to the lifeboats."

She grimaced and sighed. "Okay."

* * *

"How are you holding up?" Lotus asked a few minutes later after Rhiannon came up on the top deck.

The younger woman nodded and rested her arms on the rail of the starboard bough. "I'm okay. Just hoping everyone's going to make it through this safely." She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on the feel of the salty sea air blowing through her hair.

"Well, I did try to warn you." Lotus patted her back. "But we've been doing this for a while. Hell, the captain's been at it since he was a lad. He knows this ship like the back of his hand, and he's gotten us through plenty of tight spots. Just try to stay calm and have faith."

Rhiannon started to respond, but then rock music started blaring through the speaker system. Tristan's voice came through with it, shouting boisterously. "All right, let's rock this shit! Those weasely bastards won't know what hit 'em! Right?"

The crew shouted in agreement. "Aye!"

"Uh, that was kind of weak, guys."

Lotus chuckled, and she and the others shouted louder. "AAAYE!"

Even Rhiannon impulsively joined the shout. It was _almost_ fun, and the enthusiastic cheering got her blood pounding and lent her courage. Not a one of them seemed worried and while that could be taken as a sign of insanity, she chose to think of it as confidence. As they moved in on their location, the fog over the water thickened. She saw some smaller ships up ahead, and beneath their own individual colors they were flying Wayfarer flags. Tristan blared the ship's horn to let them know the Sea Lion was coming up behind them, and they parted to allow passage between them.

As the Sea Lion began to overtake the two smaller vessels, Tristan shouted out another huzzah to the crew—and possibly to the other ships, as well. "Let's give those miserable fucking bilge rats the ride of their lives, people! Light 'em up like fireworks and piss on their graves!"

His crew cheered and hooted in response, and Rhiannon smiled again. She had to give Tristan credit for being so inspiring. Lotus tapped her on the shoulder and raised her voice to be heard over the music. "Look over there; it's the rest of the fleet! Fog's parted enough to catch a glimpse of 'em!"

Rhiannon leaned over the rail a bit to see where she was pointing, and the sight that she briefly beheld before the fog rolled back in was both breathtaking and thrilling. A massive fleet of warships—both of modern and pre-modern design—were engaged in combat with a smaller fleet. She could just make out the outline of the island's harbor, before the smoke and fog swallowed it again. She gulped, because along with the ships, the cannon fire and the explosions, lightning arched through the air. There also appeared to be a huge wave forming between the two embattled fleets, heading straight for the Wayfarer ranks.

"H-holy shit," Rhiannon managed to gasp, fearful for the Wayfarers. As soon as it formed, however, the wave began to die down and it only hit the front ranks, knocking a few people overboard but otherwise causing no harm.

"Rhia!"

She gave a little start and looked down at one of the smaller ships, where the familiar voice had come from. There standing on the deck was Haden Wolfe. She gasped and smiled with surprised delight, finding his presence immediately heartening. "Oh my gods, _Haden_! What are you doing here?"

The augmented knight climbed the railing of his vessel a little, his dark hair tumbled and blowing in the wind. "Same question back at you!" He grabbed hold of some rigging to keep his balance. "We came to help out with the situation. What the heck are _you_ doing here?"

She felt a hysterical giggle bubbling up, and she gave a little twirl—for once not losing her balance. "I'm a pirate!"

She saw him shake his head, and she could only hear part of his response. He was shouting that it was dangerous and she shouldn't be there. Then the chivalrous idiot started acting like he was going to try to jump from his ship to hers, shouting something about getting her out of there. His lishere partner Glaive grabbed his shoulder to hold him back, and he spoke to him. He didn't seem to hear Rhiannon's greeting call to him—probably because the music from the Sea Lion and the distant sounds of battle drowned out her voice.

"Don't worry, Haden," she yelled as her ship continued passing his by. "I'll be okay!"

She stopped waving and gave a little start when a pair of masculine hands settled on her shoulders from behind. "All right, mermaid," Tristan said into her ear, "things are about to get heavy, so it's time for you to get below."

She turned and forgot all about her promise to do as he said. "But we aren't there yet. Couldn't I just stay on the bridge with you or something?"

He grimaced, and a stern look crossed his tanned features as he pointed at the deck. "Get below. Now."

When she hesitated, he shook his head and leaned in close again to speak into her ear. "Baby, I'm not compromising. The bridge will be their first target, if any of 'em board us. The safest place for you to be is below, like we agreed. I'm not giving any of those dogs the chance to cart you off to be part of their spoils, got it?"

She flushed, knowing well enough what a fate like that could mean for her. She'd rather die. Tristan suddenly put his arms around her and pulled her close, his mouth descending to hers for a kiss that knocked her socks off. It was rough, passionate and somehow tender all at once, like it might be the last kiss they'd ever share—and it may very well be, she realized. She made a desperate little sound in her throat and returned it with feeling, committing to memory the way his tongue stroked hers, the pressure of his lips, the feel of his beard against her skin. She invested herself completely in it, cupping the back of his neck to hold him there for just a little longer.

Yes, she loved this man. She couldn't deny it or downplay it any longer, and her fear for his safety grew even as her heart ached with the reality that Tristan could never be just hers. She was weak in the knees when he broke the kiss and released her. She recalled what Lotus said about Tristan worrying about her safety instead of paying attention, and she didn't argue with him any further. She gave Haden and Glaive's ship one last wave, before heading below deck as instructed.

* * *

Rhiannon had only hints of what was going on, once the ship closed in and the fighting started. She could hear Tristan's orders broadcast through the speakers in the beginning, and he even directly addressed her when the ship began to turn and the engines powered up to full capacity.

"Alright, let's ram this sucker! Everyone brace for impact and get ready to take it up close and personal. Rhia, you strap in and hold tight!"

She looked around frantically, eyes wide as the ship rocked back with the acceleration. She found the safety harness that Skidder had thoughtfully attached to one of the support beams overhead for her, and she hastily slipped it on and buckled herself in. She was just in time. The Sea Lion crashed into something heavy, and Rhiannon shrieked as she pitched forward. The harness kept her upright, and she grabbed hold of the straps attached to it overhead with white-knuckled hands.

"Hell yeah! Bumper cars!" Shouted Tristan over the speakers as the ship groaned and settled again. "Ours is bigger than yours, bitches!"

Now breathless from the harness pulling taut over her chest and torso, Rhiannon was too shaken to do more than hang there for a moment with her feet dragging the floor as she tried to catch her breath. She heard a lot of yelling, shooting and cursing up above, and then the ship seemed to buck a little as the forefront turrets fired. She heard a deafening explosion, the crack of wood and the shriek of metal. Rhiannon covered her ears and bit her lip, hoping to hells that the damage was being done to someone else's ship and not theirs.

She heard Tristan yelling somewhere up above, without the speaker system amplifying his voice. "Hey baby, how's _that_ for an entrance?"

After that, all she could hear was a commotion for a while, until someone came down below deck, grunting with effort as if carrying a burden. Recalling Tristan's concerns about the enemy boarding the ship and capturing her as "spoils" Rhiannon's heart pounded and she worked the harness free with shaking hands. Putting one hand on the gun holstered at her thigh, she backed away behind some of the supply barrels secured to the wall, where she ducked and waited.

 _~Please be okay…please be okay,~_ she thought, worried that Tristan and his crew might have gotten captured or killed. The sounds of the direct fighting outside seemed to be growing fainter, and she could hear footsteps on the middle deck up above her.

"Bring him to the forecastle," said a blessedly familiar voice she recognized as Ian's. "We'll lay him down on one of th' bunks in there so th' doc can have a look at him."

Rhiannon's heart nearly stopped at those words, and the first thing that sprang to mind was that it must be Tristan they were talking about. Forgetting all about her promise to remain in the hold until told otherwise or left with no choice, Rhiannon jumped up from behind the supply barrels and headed for the stairs leading up to the next deck.

"Tristan?" she called as she made it up the stairs and headed into the crew's quarters. The group of people carrying the stretcher looked back at her, and she caught a glimpse of lashran eyes glowing faintly in the dimness—but they didn't belong to Tam. They were set in the pale, delicate face of a woman with elegantly arching black brows and a long braid of the same hue draping over her shoulder. She was slender like Rhiannon, and only a little taller.

Rhiannon saw the ship's doctor leaning over the patient as Ian and Beans laid him down on one of the bunks, and she hurried over to see. "How bad is it?"

"Hard to tell right now," answered Kevin as he gently peeled singed, charred clothing away to have a better look. "Beans, I need more light."

The cook obligingly turned on the lanterns, and it was then that Rhiannon saw the face of the burn victim. It wasn't Tristan. It was a lashran; a lifebearer, to be exact. He looked around with pain-fogged, disoriented eyes of such a pale hue they almost appeared silver. They were similar in color to Haden's eyes. His silver hair was singed in places and it appeared that most of his torso was burned, up to the throat.

"Fell on his own fireball when my ship got rammed by those Ripper bastards," offered the lashran woman, her blue-gray eyes flashing with anger. "How's it looking, doc?"

"Fairly severe," answered Kevin. He dug through his medical bag and procured a syringe and some medication. "The best we can do for him right now is put him to sleep. I'll dress his injuries while he's in his healing trance, and he should recover in a few days."

The lifebearer moaned and his female companion stroked his hair soothingly and shushed him. "It'll be all right, Vurk. Just a little longer and you won't feel anymore pain."

At once, Rhiannon felt stupid. If it had been Tristan that was injured, they would have probably brought him straight to the captain's cabin for treatment. She wanted to ask where he was but she was afraid that would be selfish—not to mention rude. They had a suffering lifebearer to concern them right now.

Ian seemed to pick up on her quiet anxiety and he sidled closer to her, his husky form bumping into her a little as he leaned in to speak into her ear. "Cap'n's fine, darlin'. He's out there clearin' tha last of th' Rippers from th' deck o' tha Harpy."

She closed her eyes briefly and nodded. "Thank you," she whispered. Her gaze went to the suffering lashran in the bunk and she winced in sympathy. Kevin dosed him, and within moments the sorcerer's pupils dilated and his eyes drifted closed. His breathing evened out and his moans faded.

"There," announced the doctor. "Now give me some room so I can get his shirt off and dress his burns."

Rhiannon hardly heard the noise going on outside. Her thoughts were on what she'd just witnessed, and of course, the safety of the captain. She wondered for a moment where Lotus was and if she was safe as well, but then she recalled that she was one of the artillery crew. More than likely, she was still manning her turret with the others, awaiting orders to fire.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Tristan came jogging into the forecastle. His eyes met hers and he shot her a slightly chastising look, before putting an arm around her for a brief squeeze. "You're supposed to be in the cargo hold," he reminded, but then he shrugged. "Guess it's safe enough here, for now. What's the story, Kev? He gonna make it?"

The doctor nodded. "Yes, he is. I've induced a healing trance and I'm going to treat and dress his wounds so they don't get infected."

Tristan nodded and released Rhiannon to go up to the lashran woman and give her a hug. "Hey, beautiful. Wow, I don't think I've ever seen you look that worried before."

The woman returned his embrace briefly, and then she looked down at her injured companion. "When it comes to family, you'd be surprised. So, Hunter…I heard all your blustering when you came plowing in out of nowhere. Think a lot of your ship's size, do you? If I didn't know better already, I'd say you were trying to compensate for something."

He laughed and winked at her. "But you _do_ know better."

The lashran beauty smirked and glanced down at his crotch. "Aye, that I do." Her bright gaze flicked to Rhiannon, who was suddenly feeling very uncomfortable and a little sick to her stomach. "Aren't you going to introduce us? Seems like a new face, to my eyes."

Tristan turned, his smile softening a bit on Rhiannon as he put an arm around her again to guide her forward. "Rhiannon, this is Captain Star. Star, meet Rhiannon; my little stowaway from Valkyrie Falls. She was too cute to kick off the ship, so I decided I'd keep her."

Star's gaze slid over the small human woman, assessing her. "Stowaway, huh?" She smirked sidelong at Tristan before meeting Rhiannon's eyes again. The redhead got the distinct impression that she knew exactly what the nature of their relationship was, and she blushed helplessly under that sharp gaze.

"You're lucky he's got a weakness for the petite ones, girl." Star looked at Tristan again. "So, _another_ one, Tris? How many does that make, now?"

He shrugged. "The count's still at five. Gem's not in the picture anymore."

Star raised a brow. "Oh, yeah? Did she dump you for a younger buck, then?"

"No, she stabbed me." Tristan gave a dry smirk. "I figured we shouldn't see each other anymore, after that."

Star laughed, and it was a free, open laugh that some might have considered slightly obnoxious, coming from a woman. Some…but not pirates. Shaking her head, the raven-haired beauty combed her fingers through the loose locks on the top of her head that weren't braided in with the rest of her hair. "Gods, man…you can pick 'em. So, does your pretty little stowaway have any violent tendencies like the rest of us? She doesn't look vicious, to me."

Tristan shook his head and grinned, giving the blushing redhead another affectionate squeeze. "Nup. She's as sweet as candy. She can kick ass when she has to, though."

"I see." Star looked Rhiannon up and down again, and there was more than casual interest apparent in her gaze. "Nice. So, does she swing both ways?"

"No," blurted Rhiannon, now completely flustered. She was _not_ prepared to have a three-way, no matter how much her lifestyle was changing. "I'm…I'm…"

"She only likes the sausage," obliged Tristan for her.

Star shrugged. "Ah well…it was worth a try." She turned her attention to Vurkanan again as Ian and Beans scooted past to get back to their duties. "I hate to leave his side when he's like this, but I have a crew and a ship to manage, and there isn't much I can do for him except hold his hand."

"Kevin will take good care of him," promised Tristan, "and I'll keep this ship afloat. Don't worry about that. Head up with me and we'll check things out and see if any patching needs to be done. Besides, there's something really cool I think you should see."

Star groaned softly. "You're such a little boy at times, Hunter. I don't have _time_ to look at anything 'cool' right now. We're in the middle of a war for these islands, in case you've forgotten."

"I know," he said with a nod, his grin never fading, "but I think you'll really get a kick out of this ship. Ever heard of the Wave Crasher?"

She suddenly went stiff, her eyes widening. "Did…you just say the Wave Crasher?"

"Uh-huh. She just showed up and joined our ranks, right before I came down to check on things in here. I met her captain and first mate back in New Tariff, when we stopped for repairs. They were doing some finishing touches to her after dragging her up from the reef she hit, all that time ago. Can you believe it, Star? Two living legends and their ship, right out of—"

She shoved past him and Rhiannon without a word or a care for manners, charging for the exit to the upper deck before he could finish his sentence. "—History," said Tristan with a puzzled look after her. He shrugged at Rhiannon. "She really likes ships. You can hang out here with the doc if you want, 'till we get into heavy fire again. I'll announce it when you need to go back down to the cargo hold, Rhia."

Trying to quell the aching feel of jealousy in her gut, Rhiannon shook herself out of it and gave him a pleading look. "Can't I just stay here until it's over? I could help Kevin with stuff, and if we _do_ get boarded you could always broadcast a code word to let me know I need to get down below."

Tristan scratched his beard as he thought of it, and then he sighed and shrugged. "Meh, all right. Let's use 'mermaid', then. If you hear me announce that word over the com system, you get your patootie down there post-haste."

She nodded and forced a smile. "It's a deal."

He gave her a quick smooch on the lips. "I'd better get back up there. Hopefully this won't last too much longer."

Tristan straightened his hat and left, and Rhiannon watched him go with a sigh. Well, now she had the answer to _two_ questions: Did she really love him and could she accept sharing him with other women without being miserable. The answer to the first was obviously "yes", but the answer to the second question seemed to be veering strongly toward "no".

* * *

Tristan found Aurora up on the deck of his ship, and she was standing there with a stricken expression on her face as the Wave Crasher closed in and got into formation beside them. He came up to her and he risked reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder, knowing that she had a habit of impulsively turning on people and introducing their faces to the ground, when they touched her from behind without warning.

"Isn't it amazing?" he asked with a smile. "I mean there are plenty of sweet ships out there, but that one beats them all."

Star's gaze was sweeping over the vessel's cobalt, aqua and sky-blue form, and Tristan was taken aback when he noticed the glisten of moisture in her eyes. Yeah, it was a beautiful ship and he knew she was an enthusiast, but this was a little more emotion than he would have expected from her. She spotted the figure of Lythallendar moving across the quarter deck, and just as Tristan was about to point him out as the first mate, she murmured something that made him blink.

"Daddy…"

Stumped, Captain Hunter's mind went in the only direction that made sense to him. This was new…especially from her. "Uh, I get that you're moved, baby, and I know ships turn you on, but like you said: we're in the middle of a war. If you want to call me 'Daddy' next time we're together though, I guess I can—"

" _Daaadddy!_ " screamed the piratess in a raw, emotion-laden voice, startling Tristan to the point of jumping a little. Without any further conversation with him, the lashran woman took a running leap off the deck.

"Shit!" Tristan leaned over the railing, reaching in futility as Star dropped into the drink with a splash. "Woman overboard! Toss a line to her, quick!"

But Star was already swimming furiously toward the Wave Crasher, yelling out "Daddy" between strokes. Tristan saw Lythallendar Darshaw sprint to the side of the portside bough, shouting orders to his crew.

"Get my daughter _out_ of there," hollered the lifebearer, and then Tsabrak came running out on deck to join him. They and their crew tossed her a line and as soon as they hauled her up and got her onto the deck, all three of them embraced.

It then dawned on Tristan Hunter that his girlfriend wasn't calling _him_ "Daddy" in a spontaneous moment of kink.

* * *

The rest of the battle was a blur to him—mainly because he'd discovered quite by accident that one of his lovers was apparently the daughter of Lythallendar Darshaw. It didn't help him to know that his _other_ lover was below deck, in danger of losing her life if he made any mistakes or hit a spot of bad luck. Tristan powered through it with one goal in mind: to finish it as quickly as possible without getting sunk. Star's first mate took over the Harpy, while the lashran woman herself remained on board the Wave Crasher with her parents.

Tristan had known about Antyan's connection to them of course, so it came as no surprise to him when their arrival seemed to bolster the pirate lord's resolve. At one point he remembered coming up alongside the Wave Crasher while Tam was piloting and calling out to Star across the distance, telling her she had some 'splainin to do. That really wasn't fair of him, considering he'd been seeing Rhiannon for about a year and he'd never mentioned her to Star before. She wasn't one to pry for details about his other lovers, though. Hell, he knew she had other partners of both genders, and he didn't know the names of any of them.

He recalled seeing the knight and his Ulvari partner from one of the ships that flanked his upon entering the battle, fighting side-by-side on a Ripper weapon barge. He didn't get to see much of it, but it was damned impressive. The Ulvari was evidently a spirit singer as well, and he pulled off a few tricks that had Tristan distracted for a moment by the sheer, physics-defying strangeness of it. There were other spirit singers in their ranks too, and they managed to get into the harbor and take it by the end, while the naval forces finished off the seagoing fleets.

When it was over, there wasn't much left of the harbor—but it was out of Ripper control. There were casualties, of course. The fight had reduced the Wayfarer fleet by a third of their original numbers, and a lot of ships were damaged. Captain Charles' ship, the Cyclone, had rejoined partway through after being forced to pull back, but the arrogant man didn't listen to Antyan's instructions and he bit off more than he could chew. After taking the harbor, his was one of the first to dock and begin repairs to make it seaworthy again.

As for the rest, Tristan's ship took mostly superficial damage, with no loss of crew. The Harpy had a bit more extensive repairs to make, but she was still both sea and battle-worthy. The Black cat had some minor repairs to make, and to the surprise of no-one, the Wave Crasher only had a few dings.

The next obstacle to tackle was to move inland and rid the island of the remaining occupying Ripper forces within the city. Re-construction afterwards would be up to the guild lords—provided they had another lined up to take over Voldus.

Antyan called for a council that night, in the harbor Inn. The building had taken some damage, but it was minor compared to the destruction in other parts of the city. It was possibly the most interesting council Tristan had ever participated in. For one, there was the whole thing with a pair of lost legends returning. Then there was the genealogy to sort out and of course, there was some confusion with names. Technically, there were _three_ "Captain Darshaw's" in the ranks—which made it a little complicated. Star worked out a solution to that, once she and her brother finished enjoying their reunion with their long lost parents. She proposed that since he was commanding the fleet and basically head of the Wayfarer council, Antyan's title should be bumped up to Admiral Darshaw. She went by Star, so that wasn't an issue at all. That left only Tsabrak with the title of captain, since his spouse was his first mate.

It was all very confusing to Tristan, so he just focused on what he knew and stuck with making plans for their next course of action. It was decided that those with the least damaged ships would guard the harbor, while the rest moved in on the city to clear out the remaining Rippers. They were given a choice, of course. The call to arms had only initially been for the retaking of the harbor, so Tristan held a meeting with his crew to determine how far they wanted to get into this. He allowed Rhiannon to be present, if only to show her how he ran things and give her a better idea of the lifestyle.

* * *

"Okay guys, so here's the deal," Tristan said as they all sat down in the mess hall to discuss it. "We can stay and help secure Voldus so the Rippers can't snatch it back, or we can head out and go back to Avras. I know the original plan was to fuck off after this and go to home port, but we're part of a bigger thing than just one single ship and crew. I'm putting it on the table to stay and help. The council's talking about moving in to take back Azirus, once we've got Voldus secured. Oricus held and the guild lord's already making arrangements to help the Voldus mafia rebuild defenses and key structures. That just leaves Azirus to deal with."

"This could go on for years," Skidder pointed out with a sigh.

Tristan shrugged. "Not if we get that harbor back on Azirus. Even if we can't, we can wipe out enough Rippers that they won't stand a chance of going after Oricus or Voldus again for a while. It's going to take _them_ years to recover, and by then both islands should have their defenses up enough to chase 'em off again."

"In theory," reasoned Blinky, seeming no happier with the thought of sticking around for another tiring, dangerous battle. "I will remind everyone that if the Wayfarers can't muster the numbers to move in on Azirus, it will not only leave Voldus vulnerable while in a state of recovery, but it will buy more time for the enemy to regroup."

Tristan nodded. "Exactly. Admiral Darshaw said he got confirmation that the Chalice has a mind to take over these islands, once the different outlaw factions kill each other off. If that happens, the Wayfarers are pretty much screwed out of any commerce with Zarn."

"So it would be better to stay and fight than go home," Rhiannon said after listening. She winced when they looked at her. "Um…sorry. I know it's not my place." She was lucky to even be allowed at the table.

Tristan smiled at her. "Don't be. You're exactly right. You've got a pretty good understanding of why Zarn is important to both us _and_ the Rippers. Only difference is the Wayfarers don't want to run the damned place; we just want to keep doing business."

"And even if they _did_ manage to take over the outer islands, they'd never be able to juggle the maintenance of governing them and keep up their sea routes, too," Lotus pointed out.

"Yup." Tristan nodded. "So they take over, trash the islands, bite off more than they can chew and while they're disorganized trying to deal with civil unrest and rival pirates, the Chalice jumps in, brings order and takes over all of 'em. Any human families living here will probably get deported, and we sure as hell won't be getting any trade from this territory anymore."

He leaned back in his chair and he threaded his fingers together over his abdomen. "So what's it going to be, guys? Head home and leave whoever stays to deal with it, or stick around and have an active part? You know I don't make big decisions like this without the vote of the crew, so cast yours now. Who's for staying, say 'aye'."

Several crew spoke the requested word, some with enthusiasm and some in a tired manner that suggested they saw no other choice. Tristan nodded. "And who says 'nay'?"

A smaller number answered, including Skidder.

Tristan clapped once. "Okay, it's settled then. We'll at least hang out to protect the harbor here for a while, and then we'll see what we're dealing with when and if they decide to try and free Azirus. Once that happens, we'll have another vote. Now go have some fun and party tonight. You've all fucking earned it!"

Not a face amongst the crew didn't smile at that, and Rhiannon smiled too. They loved him. Even if some of them weren't happy with the decision to stay, their captain had pulled them through this safely and damned if the man didn't have fun doing it. She laughed when Skidder jumped up on the table and started performing an impromptu jig, his earlier trepidation apparently forgotten. Her eyes met Tristan's across the way, and she felt warmed to her toes by his smile.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Tristan was going for a piss at the Inn where everyone was celebrating when he was interrupted by Star. She intercepted him on his way to the bathroom and she said two words to him. "Come. Now."

Tristan looked down at his groin. "Er, can I at least pull my pants down first? It'll get kind of messy, otherwise."

"Heh, you're a funny guy, Hunter...but you know what I mean. I know you aren't that drunk. Come on."

He followed her dutifully out of the Inn and to the outer corner wall of it. He wasn't sure if he did something wrong or if she was looking for a little action from him. With Star, it wasn't always easy to tell. Come to think of it, with _most_ of his girlfriends, it wasn't easy to tell...except for Rhia. She was always really sweet when happy, and never violent when angry. Her style was more the silent treatment—a thing which he wasn't used to anymore because he'd chosen such aggressive women over the past few years.

"What's up? I can't tell if you want to flail me or fuck me. I've gotta warn you, Rhia and I haven't set up any rules about me being with another woman when I'm with her, so I'll have to take a rain check, if it's the latter."

Star turned to face him and she smirked. The moonlight breaking through the clouds shone on her practically flawless ivory skin. "Neither, actually. I wanted to tell you I'm cutting you loose."

Tristan blinked several times. This woman had once told him she wouldn't cast him off 'till he either got too old to perform, or got married. Given that neither was likely to happen soon, he was understandably confused. "Wait, did you just say you're breaking things off with me?"

She nodded and crossed her arms over her chest. "That's right. Do I need to run that by you again?"

He pulled his hat off and combed his bangs back from his forehead. "Maybe. What'd I do? Is it 'cause I haven't had any time for you tonight? Maybe Rhia won't mind, if I talk to her about it."

"Oh yes, she will," corrected Star. "No matter how she tries to hide it from you."

Tristan gave a worthy pause. He was still in a giddy state over the victory, and he had some trouble absorbing what she was saying. "You think she doesn't like you?"

Star chuckled and looked out over the harbor. "No, you daft fool. I think she likes _you_ too much for her own good. I also think _you_ like _her_ more than you care to admit. You've barely even looked at me all night, but it didn't slip my notice the way you've been looking at her."

He was now even more confused. "Wait...are you jealous? _You_?"

She looked at him with a dry smirk. "Maybe a little, but not for the reasons you think. Bend your ear this way, Tristan, because I'll only explain this once. When you first introduced us on your ship, right before I went overboard to be with my Daddy, I noticed a look from her. I've _seen_ that look in her eyes before. I've _lived_ it. It's the look that comes from trying your damndest to be supportive and not let it shred you to pieces to see the man you love in the arms of someone else. It's one of the shittiest feelings I've ever had the displeasure of experiencing, and I won't be part of the cause for it. Did any of that make it into your thick head?"

"Well...uh, yeah," he admitted uncomfortably. "I'm not an idiot. I just think you read her the wrong way. Rhia doesn't _want_ a relationship and she knows about my other girlfriends, so if it bothered her, she wouldn't be with me now."

Star clucked her tongue. "For a man that has so many women, you surely don't know all that much about us, Hunter. Right then; you've got your answer and whether you choose to see it or stick your head in the sand is no business of mine. I won't be the one that visits that sort of pain on someone else, though, so the 'benefits' part of our friendship is over."

He sighed. "Great. Another one lost."

She chuckled and reached out and around to pat him on the butt. "It's a shame to lose such a fine, virile buck, but believe it or not, I have a conscience about some things. It's been fun, Captain Hunter. I can honestly say you're one of the few of your kind that can keep up with lashran stamina in the bedroom."

He grinned. "Aw, shucks, I try. So you're _sure_ you want to do this? Because I really think Rhiannon's okay with the situation."

Star sighed and gave him a frustrated look. "Maybe the lass is, for the sake of being in your life. Truth is, I'm not. When it's just for fun it's fine, but when hearts get broken is when I draw the line. Maybe someday you'll see that."

She started to walk away, and Tristan called after her. "Hey, you never told me your real name. Can't I at least get that?"

The piratess turned to regard him, and she smirked. "That would be Aurora. It's still Star to you and everyone we know, however."

He nodded. "Got it. That's a really pretty name, though. I'll just use it in my head when I think of you."

He waited for her to round the corner first, and then he sighed and returned inside. He paused in the doorway of the common room to look at Rhiannon. She was deep in a conversation with a lady from the Cyclone's crew, her hands animated as she spoke. He watched the way she smiled, the way her eyes lit up at times when the other woman described certain parts of the battle to her. He smiled without even realizing he was doing it. Maybe she _did_ have it in her to become a little piratess. That was part of why he was even allowing her to learn things about seafaring, and why he allowed her to be present and speak her thoughts at the meeting with the crew.

His smile faded as he considered Aurora's words, and he looked over at her, on the other side of the room. She was with Tsabrak, and there was a gaggle of hangers-on that were now sucking up to her even more than they did before, after learning she was the daughter of the famous Coren Darshaw.

_~Okay, maybe Rhia loves me. She's proven that much already, I have to admit. I love her too. Who wouldn't? Doesn't mean she can't accept my lifestyle. She hasn't said a thing to me that makes me think she's jealous, so Star's got to be wrong.~_

But the truth was that deliberately or not, Rhiannon had inserted herself into his life and set some changes into motion. For the first time in his long career, he was actually considering making a girlfriend a member of his crew. Tristan knew the sort of complications that could arise from that—or at least, he could imagine. Power struggles, jealousy when they made port somewhere and he went off with another woman, and his own protective feelings toward her. He only ever worried about one of his other girlfriends, besides Rhiannon. Concern for her overdosing or hurting herself while in a drug-hazed stupor wasn't the same as his protective urges toward Rhiannon. Tristan looked at her again, and their eyes met. She smiled and waved at him, and he couldn't resist smiling back.

Crossing the room, he went to join her at the table she was sitting at. "Hey ladies. Having fun?"

Rhiannon nodded and sipped her mixed drink. "You bet! Kat here was just telling me what all I missed when I was below deck. It sounds crazy! I kind of wish I could have seen some of it, though."

He smirked and he thanked the serving girl when she brought him a glass of scotch, courtesy of his crew. "It was pretty fucked up."

Kat pointed at Tristan with a semi-sloppy grin, her green eyes twinkling and her dark, Ocathian features slightly flushed with liquor. "You sir, are a wild man! We saw when you rammed that Ripper ship like a runaway bull. That was inspiring!"

He laughed and clinked his glass against hers as she raised it in a toast. "Sometimes you have to be a wild man to get things done, sweetheart." He took a swig of his drink and he grimaced slightly at the burn as he swallowed.

Kat eyed him with more than a passing interest, watching the motions of his throat as he swallowed. "Yeah, but a good-looking one. Fun, too. So tell me, are you accepting more crew? Captain Charles spent the better part of the fight yelling at all of us, so I might be looking for another ship to transfer to."

"Er..." He felt a booted foot glide over his calf beneath the table, and the wink given to him by the woman left little doubt in his mind it was hers. Under ordinary circumstances, he probably would have flirted back and asked when she could start...but a sidelong glance at Rhiannon changed his mind. He could have taken advantage of the moment to test her and see if she was really okay with his dalliances with other women, but for one reason or another, he didn't have the heart to do it.

"We're full right now, but I'll keep that in mind if I ever fall short." He dug out his cell phone and opened up his contacts list. "What's your number? I'll give you a holler if and when I'm recruiting again."

She gave it to him and she asked for his. He obliged her, though he had no immediate plans to start exchanging texts and phone calls with her. Kat added him to her contacts, and she sighed and rubbed his leg with her foot again. "Too bad you aren't hiring now. I could really use a change of scenery." Her gaze said she wasn't talking about his ship so much as the captain that ran it.

Fortunately, Rhiannon seemed oblivious to her flirtations; possibly because she was on her second drink and entering that careless zone. "That would be cool," she offered with a naive smile. "Then Lotus won't have to be the only woman on board. Well, once I'm gone, that is."

"You should stay with the Sea Lion and forget about going home," suggested Kat. "A pirate's life is a hell of a more interesting one than working in some studio, love."

"Well, it _is_ a lot more exciting, that's for sure." Rhiannon's gaze went to Tristan, and for a brief moment, there was a flash of regret in those pretty brown eyes. "I don't think Captain Hunter needs a makeup artist in his crew, though."

Tristan said nothing, taking another swallow of his drink. It was feeling stuffy in here. He loosened the laces of his shirt to bare a little of his chest and make the air more breathable. The two women resumed their conversation and he remained uncommonly mute throughout it, nodding along with it and watching Rhia with contemplative eyes. He was going to have a hard time letting her go, when this was all finished and he brought her back to Valkyrie Falls.

_~But what are my choices? Tell her she can't leave? Hold her aboard the ship against her will? Even if she'd want to stay and officially become a crew member, how could that work?~_

"Excuse me, ladies," he said after turning over his options in his mind. "I've got to pay a visit to the little pirate's room."

He got up and headed for the back of the common room, looking for the men's room. When he found it, he went inside and found it empty, to his relief. He approached a urinal and unzipped his pants, sighing a little as he did his business. "Can't have her," he muttered. "I'm a catch and release kind of guy...always have been. I'll just leave things as they are and see her when I come through Valkyrie Falls. We're both better off that way."

But in his heart, he knew he'd be spending more time at Valkyrie Falls than any of his other ports. He could already see himself making excuses to drop by, even if they had no reason to be there. True, he sometimes made berth in one of his ports for the sole purpose of visiting a girlfriend, but...

Tristan sighed and shook his head. The prospect of visiting any of the others didn't even excite him, anymore. He tried to picture himself with them, and all he could visualize was Rhia. It was like she was replacing all of them in his affections, and that scared him a little. He finished up and he put his junk away, before flushing the urinal and giving his hands a quick wash in the cracked basin. He needed to figure out where he was on the subject of Rhiannon. Maybe she was dominating his thoughts just because she'd been traveling with him. He'd had other girlfriends on his ship before, certainly, but only while docked overnight. Rhia was the first to ever actually sail with him.

When he left the bathroom, he found himself face to face with Kat. He grinned impulsively at her in greeting. "Ladies' room broken or something?"

"Not at all," she admitted, and her flashy smile was rather like a feline's that had found juicy prey. She slid her hands over his shoulders, and she leaned in to inhale his scent. "You smell nice, Captain. You know, I've heard some rumors about you that have me curious."

Her breath tickled his ear and he impulsively put his hands on her waist. "Yeah? What kind?"

She smirked and slid one hand down his body in a sensual glide, her green-gold eyes holding his as the hand inexorably made it's way past his beltline. "I hear you like...jewelry."

He grunted a little as her hand cupped his groin, and he understood her meaning loud and clear. "Yeah, that one's true."

Her smirk broadened, and she kissed his whiskered chin as she began to message the area. "Well, I would love the chance to inspect it. I like jewelry too, you sexy thing."

"Any other time, I'd take you up on that offer," he heard himself say, "but Rhia's not into threesomes and I'm with her right now."

Kat sighed in disappointment and shrugged. "Ah, that's too bad. Well, at least let me give you something to remember me by."

He didn't quite know what to do when her mouth covered his, but his lips required no conscious direction to do what they always did, when pressed against a woman's. He kissed her back unthinkingly, a soft groan rising in his throat in reaction to her fondling. He didn't notice Rhiannon coming up behind Kat until he happened to open his eyes and see her standing there, staring. Tristan quickly broke the kiss—something the old him never would have bothered doing. He pulled Kat's hand off his goods and stepped back, a little shaken.

"Rhia, wait," he said when the petite redhead whirled around and began to rapidly walk away. "'Scuse me," he muttered absently to Kat, going after his girlfriend.

* * *

"Stupid," quavered Rhiannon as she exited the Inn and walked away from it at a blind, brisk pace. "I'm so _stupid_! Why did I let myself think he'd only be with me while we're together?"

He'd already flaunted Star in her face, so she shouldn't have been so shocked by the sight of him reeling in another one for his harem. The memory of seeing the other woman kissing him and touching him like that scalded her. She heard him calling out to her and she walked faster, not even paying attention to where she was going. She had to get away from him; at least for a little while. She didn't want him to see her crying over it.

"Rhia, wait up!"

"Just go back to the inn," she called back in as steady a voice as she could muster. "I just need some fresh air and a walk, okay?"

"What 'fresh air'," he demanded, closing in on her easily with his longer strides. "The air's thick with smoke! I can get you a cigarette if you want to breathe that in."

She huffed a bitter laugh. "You're funny, Tristan. Just leave me be for—"

He caught up with her and got in her way, forcing her to either pause for a moment or run smack into him. He grasped her shoulders to keep her from dodging around him or turning away. "No, I'm not leaving you alone out here. There are still Rippers hiding out in this place and you can bet if they see a pretty little thing like you out wandering alone in the dark, they'd try to snatch you up."

"I'm an adult and I have a gun," she reminded him, trying to pull out of his hold. She avoided his eyes, willing her own to dry. "I'll be fine."

"Hey, talk to me," he demanded. "You're pissed off, I get it. Just...look at me, will you?"

She sniffed and bit her lip as she looked up at him. A lone tear spilled over and etched its way down her cheek. "Nothing to talk about," she whispered. "I knew you weren't mine. I'll get over it."

He sighed. "But I _am_ yours. I'm here with you, aren't I?"

She snorted. "Are you? Because it sure didn't look like Kat thought so and you weren't trying to stop her!"

Shaking her head, she looked away again, out towards the water. "Look, I know how things are. I'm not trying to keep you from other women. I just...don't need to _see_ it."

"Hey, _she_ kissed _me_ ," he excused. He wiped her tear away with his thumb. "Didn't give me much of a chance to even think. You showed up right as she did it, baby. I wasn't gonna do anything with her."

"But you sure seemed to be enjoying it," retorted the redhead. "I didn't see you pushing her away."

"Well, obviously I did, since I'm out here with you. I mean if you want, I could go back and fuck her. I'd rather be with you, though."

Her lip quivered and her breath caught at his harsh idea of comfort. Her hand itched to slap him, but then she would be no better than her ex. She knew Tristan wouldn't retaliate if she struck him, so in her mind it would simply be abusive to do so. Instead, she shoved at his chest, needing some outlet for her frustration.

"You big...fucking...jerk! You don't have to rub my nose in it!"

He staggered slightly, his expression helplessly frustrated as well. "I'm not rubbing your nose in _anything_ , Rhia! I'm just trying to put this into perspective, all right?" He held up a finger. "She kissed me." He held up a second finger. "I pushed her away." He held up a third finger. "I came after _you_ because _you're_ the one I want...not her."

"Then why would you say something like that?" she demanded, more tears filling her eyes and spilling over. "W-why would you say _'if you want, I could go back and fuck her'_. In what universe is that supposed to be comforting?"

He spread his hands helplessly. "All right, so that was a stupid thing to say. I'm just frustrated because you're treating me like the bad guy for something I had no control over. If some dude grabbed you and kissed you without warning, _he's_ the one I'd blame for it, not you. You didn't give me a chance to push her away, you just saw it and left!"

"If some guy tried to grab me and kiss me without asking, I'd have kneed him in the balls and pushed him off right away," she shot back. "From where I was standing, you were taking your sweet time getting her off of you."

He groaned and pulled his hat off to comb his fingers through his hair. "She took me by surprise, okay? And my first instinct when a girl kisses me is to kiss her back. It was a reflex...but that's all it was. I wouldn't have let it go any further than that, baby."

"Well, why not?" She crossed her arms over her chest and sniffed again, shivering in the cool night air. "You've already got five girlfriends. Why not add another one to make up for the one you dumped? Then you'd be at an even six again."

_~Oh, don't do this. You promised you wouldn't.~_

But she couldn't help it. She felt betrayed and it hurt. She thought she could have handled it if she'd walked in on him kissing Star, because the lashran woman was already one of his established girlfriends. Seeing him making out with some stranger he'd just met had hit her like a fist, though. Never mind that was pretty much how she and Tristan started out.

"Actually, I'm down to four now," he announced. "Star dumped me tonight."

Rhiannon was surprised enough by the admittance that her anger faded. "Really? Did...she say why?"

He stared at her for a moment, before shrugging and answering: "Guess she had too many partners and she needed to shave it down a little. I got selected for the boot."

Rhiannon hesitated, and she stepped closer to him and hugged herself tighter. "Oh. Well...she's...she's stupid. If I were her, you would be the last one I'd dump."

Tristan smiled toothily at that and chuckled. "Yeah?"

She nodded and shyly smiled back, putting her arms around his waist. "You bet. Never toss the guy with the piercings and the magic tongue." She blushed at her own words, but she didn't look away. "Are...you okay?"

He stroked her hair, his expression softening. "You're so sweet. Yeah, I'm okay with it. We'll still be buds and with her it was just sex." He opened up his jacket and wrapped it around her, pulling her close. "Here, your shivering."

Rhiannon laid her cheek against his chest and sighed as his warmth enveloped her. "I'm sorry for snapping at you. If it was one of your girlfriends, I think I would have been okay with it."

That was a white lie. She'd have been more accepting, but she wouldn't have exactly been "okay" with it.

"Even if Star hadn't broken up with me or one of my other girlfriends somehow showed up, I'm still with you right now." He kissed the crown of her head. "That's the way I roll, unless I'm with someone that's already agreed to share me for the night. We never said we'd do that, so I'm all yours."

That made her feel oddly secure. In his own way, Tristan was faithful to her. She wondered about something though, and she spoke her thoughts aloud before she could stop herself. "What would you do if some other guy kissed me in front of you?"

"I'd deck him," answered the pirate without hesitation. "Maybe even beat him unconscious."

She took her head off his chest and looked up at him with an ironic expression on her face. "Don't you think that's a little hypocritical of you?"

He smirked. "Probably, but like I said; I'm with you right now. I don't want to be with anyone else and I wouldn't want you getting with anyone else, either."

Rhiannon smiled, amused by the possessiveness he couldn't quite hide. "You're a very complicated man, you weirdo. I'm happy that you only want to be with me when we're together, though."

"And if you want me to stick only to you whenever we're together from now on, I'm okay with that. My other girlfriends are a little more flexible, but I don't _need_ to bounce between partners when I'm with someone." He rocked her back and forth, keeping the jacket as tightly drawn around her as he could. "Does that make sense, or did I just put my foot in my mouth again?"

Rhiannon chuckled and laid her head against his chest again. "It makes sense. Thank you. I...would rather not share you when we're together."

"Then that's the way it'll be," he promised. "Want to go back to the ship and get cleaned up, or would you rather stay at the Inn and have a break from the rocking?"

"The ship would be fine," she answered, a little surprised by her decision. "I hardly get seasick anymore, and I still have that medicine Kevin gave me just in case."

He kissed her forehead and released her, stepping back to remove his jacket and sling it around her shoulders. "All right, let's get out of here, then."

Together they walked to the docks, their boots trodding over cracked and burnt wood as they made their way to the Sea Lion.

* * *

-To be continued


	8. Chapter 8

By the next day, repairs on the harbor and the city were in full swing. A couple of ships arrived from Oricus, since the airport there was still shut down and the one in Voldus was currently unmanned. From the reports coming back from the islands, the Chalice was the only place with an operating airport. The Oricus crew went into the city to begin reconstructing the more important structures, such as the sea and air defenses and the hospital. Meanwhile, the Wayfarers worked on repairing damaged ships. Rhiannon insisted on helping with that, and she took instructions from the Sea Lion's crew and just did as they told her. She was getting a better understanding of the way ships worked as she assisted with the task.

The Cyclone had taken the worst hits, so it took priority over the rest. The Darshaw family had Vurkanan transported to the Wave Crasher so that Tsabrak's lashran doctor could watch over him—not because they didn't trust Kevin, but because the sorcerer was family and a lashran doctor would be more familiar with how to treat him, if anything went wrong. Tristan was all over the place during the day, going out on the water with half his crew to collect anything salvageable from the wreckage, and keeping a wary eye on the horizon for signs of more enemy encroachment.

Last Rhiannon heard, Glaive and Haden had gone into the city with the spirit singers they'd brought with them to clear out any Rippers they found and escort a search and rescue team. Thus far, they'd managed to rescue over twenty trapped or injured civilians and mafia members. They'd also retrieved several of the bodies of those who were unfortunate enough to be killed during the invasion.

"Best not look, lass," advised Star when Rhiannon got distracted by the sight of a truck returning with a load of corpses. The lashran woman had been carting lumber and she paused when she saw the expression on Rhiannon's face.

The redhead tore her eyes off the scene as workers began to unload the bodies. There were a couple of media crews nearby, filming the situation. "I just don't understand it," sighed Rhiannon. She wondered if any of her friends would see this on the news once it broadcasted. She wondered if she'd make it into any of the clips, and she could just imagine their reaction back home if she did.

"Nothing to understand," remarked Star. "People kill. End of the story."

Rhiannon shook her head at the senselessness of it all. "I know that, but this just seems pointless. Those poor people!"

Star considered her for a moment, and she let go of the wheelbarrow to place her hands on Rhiannon's shoulders. "I hate to be the one to break it to you, but most of those people were liars, cheaters and killers themselves. Aye, some of 'em were civilians that just got caught up in things, but don't fool yourself into thinking everyone they're unloading from that truck wasn't just as bloodthirsty as the Rippers. They'll get a burial at sea, courtesy of the Black Cat's crew. It's probably more than most of 'em would have gotten from their own, in fact."

"Why not bury them in the ground?" asked Rhiannon. "Or cremate them?"

"The water table on this island is too high. We're below sea level and they stopped digging graves after they had incidents of coffins rising to the surface after flooding. Cremation isn't a good idea either, since they're trying to clear the air and make it more breathable. You saw the masks they've been wearing over their mouths and nose when they go into the city."

Rhiannon nodded in understanding. Of course the smoke masks were a good idea for workers and rescue teams right now. The air in the harbor was relatively clear of smoke now, but earlier that morning she'd had to secure a bandana around her mouth and nose to breathe without coughing. "Do you think the Wayfarers are going to go after Azirus, after this?"

Star shrugged. "Beats me. Antyan put it on the table, but we won't have a vote on that 'till we've finished repairs on the fleet and gotten this place cleaned up. Saber offered to send some of his people to help guard the place if we fuck off to Azirus to liberate it, so Voldus should hold. I really don't think the Rippers can afford to send a big enough fleet to take this place back again anyhow."

"What about the Chalice? Tristan said they got involved. Could there be any chance they would help?"

The piratess laughed dryly. "There's a chance they'll help themselves, my dear, but they aren't going to lend any aid to the guild lords. They tried to get Saber out of Oricus when the Rippers moved in on it...tried to take him by force, in fact. I'm of the mind they weren't looking out for his safety, regardless of what they claimed. What happened to Quartz and Erishar is fair proof of that."

Rhiannon sighed, her hopes on that dashed. "Sometimes I hate governing bodies. They only look out for themselves and they don't really care about the people they govern."

"Hmm."

Rhiannon looked back at Star to find the lashran woman eyeing her with a sly little smile. "What? Did I say something funny?"

"Maybe you can handle this life, after all." Star shrugged. Her eyes went to something beyond Rhiannon's shoulder and she gave her a little pat on the arm. "Well, here comes your buck. I'd best get back to what I was doing."

Rhiannon didn't understand what she was talking about, until Star walked away and a male presence came up behind her. She jumped when she got tapped on the shoulder and she whirled around to face Tristan. "Gah, you scared me," she announced un-necessarily.

He grinned at her. "A little jumpy, huh? Just swinging back by to see how things are going."

She looked out over the water and she saw the Sea Lion anchored a short ways out. He must have taken one of the small boats to the harbor. "It's going fairly well. I've been mostly helping with securing the nets to haul stuff up to the crew on board and waterproofing the lumber."

He straightened her hat on her head and chuckled. "Look at you...what a pirate wench you're turning into."

She shrugged and smiled back. "I'm learning from the best. So how are things going out there?"

"Meh, kind of slow. Could be faster but I think more of us are needed here on the docks than out there in the water. How about a break for some lunch?"

She wiped her hands off on her pants and nodded. "Sure. I didn't even realize what time it was, until you said something."

He pulled a handkerchief out and he wiped off her sweaty forehead with it. "You've been working hard. Got a little soot on your face, too." He wiped the rest of her face off, smiling like he was proud of her.

"I didn't notice," she admitted, a little embarrassed to greet him in such a sloppy state. "Maybe I can wash my face in the bathroom at the Inn. I hope I don't stink."

"Don't worry about it, sunshine. I got all the yuck off for you." He offered his handkerchief to her. "Here, keep it on you for a sweat rag if you want. We're all gonna be stinky by the end of the day, so don't let it get you self-conscious."

He leaned over and took a sniff. "And you don't stink yet, by the way. You actually smell pretty good, to me."

"You have to say that," she accused with a giggle, looping her arm with his. "I might not put out, otherwise."

"Good point, but I did mean it. Now, by tonight you might smell like an armpit, but so will I so I probably won't notice. Let's go see what they've got cooking at the inn."

"Deal."

* * *

Lunch was barbeque—which made Rhiannon even sloppier—and then Tristan escorted her back to the docks, gave her a kiss and took off for the ship to resume his scavenging work. The Black Cat was getting ready to head out to give the victims of the attack a sea burial, but everyone knew there would be more to lay to rest that evening and the next day. It was unclear how long it would take to retrieve all of the dead and clean up the streets. The Rippers that weren't killed were taken prisoner and placed in the city jail, to either be ransomed to their brethren, executed later or sent off to sea under oaths never to raise their hands against any of the guild lords again.

After taking care of the bodies, Antyan loaded up his family onto his ship and sailed off to the Wayfarer headquarters, stationed in a cove off the coast of Oricus. Why the Rippers never attempted an attack on it was a mystery to Rhiannon, until Lotus explained to her that not even they would break the code and attack their rival's home. The leaders of the Rippers wouldn't allow it anymore than the Wayfarers would.

"I don't know if I'll ever understand pirate morals," sighed Rhiannon as she painted more sealant onto the chords of lumber laid out on the docks.

"We've got our own code of honor," chuckled Lotus. "Might be sketchy to landlubbers, but it's worked for generations. In our fortress we're safe. Out on the water or in town, it's another matter."

"I'd like to go over this code sometime so I can understand it better." Rhiannon stood up, stretched a bit and then squatted down beside another plank to begin treating it.

"Only those who are sworn in can view the code," Lotus explained. "So if you want to read it...well, you've got to become a pirate and swear the oath to the Wayfarers."

"Oh." Rhiannon shrugged. She supposed that made sense. "Is that what the tattoo I've seen on the back of all your hands is all about?" She nodded at Lotus' left hand, where a symbol of the Wayfarer flag had been tattooed: an old fashioned ship wheel with a skull in the center of it. Between the skull's teeth was a rose, and a musketeer style hat was on its head.

"That's right." Lotus grunted as she lifted some of the dried lumber into the wheelbarrow. You get a choice whether you want it on your arm or your hand. Most of us choose the hand because it's visible from the get-go and independent pirates won't fuck with a Wayfarer. It also helps us identify ourselves to each other. I _still_ haven't met every pirate pledged to the Wayfarer's, so it's handy."

"That's kind of cool." Rhiannon finished the side she was working on, and she checked one of the other boards she'd already painted to make sure it was dry, before turning it over to begin waterproofing the other side. "I don't mind tattoos. I've been thinking of getting one myself. Just haven't gotten around to it."

"Well, if you end up taking the pledge, you'll definitely be getting one."

Rhiannon paused and squinted up at the other woman. The sun was starting to set and the rays were bathing the docks. "Can you _really_ see me being a pirate, or are you just making conversation?"

The brunette smirked. "I can really see you becoming a pirate, Rhia. It's up to you whether to do it or not, but I think you'd do fine. You don't have to be a heartless fiend to wear the title, you know. You've gotten to know all of us on the Sea Lion pretty well. Are we villains?"

"No, of _course_ not," Rhiannon was quick to assure. "You're some of the coolest people I've ever met, and you always find reasons to laugh and enjoy life. None of you seem bloodthirsty...except maybe Ian when someone messes with his guitar...and Tristan, when he gets pushed too hard."

"Exactly. We're people, just like anyone else. We laugh, cry, love and lose. Speaking of the captain, I think he'd like it if you joined us."

That gave Rhiannon pause again, and she smiled a little wistfully. "I don't know about that."

Lotus shrugged. "Take it or leave it...that's just my opinion. If you ever _do_ decide to swear the oath, you've got my vote."

That made Rhiannon smile wider. "Really?"

"Sure thing. I already consider you a sister of the sea, girl."

Rhiannon stood up and impulsively hugged the other woman. "Thank you. I feel close to you too."

Lotus chuckled and patted her back. "Alright, too much touchy-feely going on here. Let's finish the day's work so I can get a shower and have a drink, yeah?"

* * *

By the time Rhiannon finished her work, showered and ate, she was utterly exhausted. Tristan was still out in the Sea Lion, and he phoned her after dinner to tell her he probably wouldn't be finished until later that night. Feet dragging, she went back to her inn room and collapsed on the bed. She decided to go ahead and text her friends to let them know she was still safe and sound. She turned off her sound after that, not wanting the phone to disturb her rest. She clicked on the TV, but there were no channels coming through. Evidently there was a broadcasting tower down, or the Chalice had purposely blocked all broadcasts.

"Too tired to get through any shows or movies, anyhow," she sighed. She closed her eyes and hugged the spare pillow, wishing it was Tristan. She worried sometimes that she was becoming too dependent on him, the way she'd become dependent on Chip. She still had career options and her own place to go back to when he returned her to Valkyrie Falls, though, and she knew he'd never monitor her activities the way her ex had.

"But why do I...always have to fall for the ones that won't love me back?" she yawned. Chip had claimed to love her, but what he'd had was obsession, not love. Tristan was certainly fond of her, but he'd never be just hers alone. She thought of this as she drifted off to sleep, and her heart ached because of it.

* * *

He felt like he'd been dunked in a toilet, by the time he trudged to the room that the clerk had said Rhiannon was in and used his key to unlock the door. It was dark inside and he could just make out the bundle that was his girlfriend on the bed. As quietly as he could, he closed the door behind him and made his way to the bathroom to get cleaned up. His boots squished and squeaked as he walked and he grimaced at the sound, looking down at his feet and making shushing noises. The boots of course did not listen, and they continued their obnoxious sounds as he felt his way to the bathroom. It didn't help that he was walking with a limp. He banged his knee on the bedside table and he bit back a curse, wishing he had lashran night vision.

"Mm...Tristan? That you?" Rhiannon's shadowed form sat up in the bed, and he heard the click of the safety going off on her pistol.

"Yeah, it's me cutie-patootie. Don't shoot." He held his hands up in a non-threatening manner as she reached for the lamp to click it on. His gaze roved over her appreciatively as the covers dropped to reveal the lavender satin teddy she wore. It was a simple gown...nothing fancy or frilly...but it looked good on her. Tristan wolf-whistled at her. "Damn, if you aren't a sight to come home to. It makes all the hard work worth it, at the end of the day."

She put her gun back on the nightstand and smiled sleepily at him. "You look like someone used you for fishing bait. Are you okay?"

He glanced down at his sodden clothes and he nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I fell overboard when a line snapped and caught up my ankle on its way down. Took me a minute to untangle myself, but I made it back to the surface okay."

Rhiannon sat up straighter and she looked down at his feet, noticing he was favoring the left one. The boot had a tear in the leather where the cable had cut into it. "Has Kevin looked at it?"

"He had a quick look, yeah. It's just a little sprained. Nothing some aspirin can't take care of."

Her eyes moved back up his body and they softened as they met his. "You could have drowned."

He shook his head and smiled at her. "No, sweetheart...Blinky wouldn't let that happen. As soon as I went over he jumped in and conjured an air bubble around me so I could breath while I was freeing myself. It's fine...really."

She didn't look entirely convinced, but she was evidently too sleepy to argue with him. She covered her mouth on a yawn and then held her arms open endearingly. "I want a hug."

Tristan almost obliged her, but his own smell wafted up his nostrils and he decided against it. "Baby, I'm nasty, wet and smelly right now. I don't want to hug you 'till I'm clean."

"A kiss, then?" She puckered up and closed her eyes.

Unable to resist, he limped over to the bed and gave her a quick smooch on the lips. "Sorry I smell like the bottom of a fish barrel," he murmured against her lips.

"I stobbed breathig through by dose," she said with a smile as he pulled away. "I cad't sbell you."

It took him a moment to understand she'd said she wasn't breathing through her nose, and he laughed. "Smart girl. Well, I'm getting out of these soggy clothes and washing my grunge off. I won't be long but if you pass out, it's okay. Just get your sleep, cutie."

She plopped back down on the bed and snuggled up to the pillow again. He started to tuck her in, but one look at his grimy hands changed his mind. Tristan limped over to the bathroom and undressed to have his shower. He'd have to have one of the crew bring him something fresh to wear from the ship, seeing as he hadn't thought to bring a change of clothes with him. After having a good scrub and washing his hair, he draped his towel around his waist and he came back out to join Rhiannon in bed. She didn't stir at first when he removed his towel and climbed in, but after he clicked the light off, she registered the change in luminance and she snuggled up to him with a sigh.

"Much better," she whispered, nuzzling his chest.

Tristan stroked her back slowly, planting a kiss on her head. He was starting to feel frisky, but he wasn't going to keep her up all night satisfying his cravings. "You surprised me a little, pulling a gun on me," he whispered back.

"Sorry," she mumbled, her thigh brushing against his groin unconsciously as she cuddled him. "I wasn't sure it was you at first."

"Oh hey, don't apologize for that." He tried to ignore the way she felt against him, but his body was reacting helplessly. "I'm _glad_ your first instinct was to reach for protection, Rhia. That's a good reaction to have when you're not sure who's coming into your room, you know?"

"Yeah, but I'd have never forgiven myself if the gun had gone off and shot you."

He chuckled and ran his fingers over her back in a light caress, skimming them down to her hips, then over her bottom. He hardened further against her thigh and he closed his eyes, warning himself not to act like a lecher. They didn't need to have sex every single day and she was worn out. He was too, for that matter. She hummed in her throat and kissed his neck.

"Mm, that feels good."

Tristan did it again, and he swallowed as she rubbed her thigh against his burgeoning sex. "Are you doing that on purpose?"

"Hmm?" Her nails glided over his back, and she pressed another kiss to his throat. "Doing what?"

"I think you know 'what'," he muttered.

Her outer hand slid around from his back to his front, and she dragged it over his abs down to his pelvis. "I don't know what you mean...but _this_ is on purpose."

Tristan made a low sound of desire in his throat as her fingers curled around his stiffening length. "Thought you were exhausted, baby."

"I am," she agreed, "but after such a hard day's work, don't we deserve a good reward?" She traced his parted lips with her tongue. "And it's _always_ rewarding with you, even if I tease you about poking me too much."

He cupped her bottom and returned the teasing caress of her tongue. "Mm- _hmm_. I love your reasoning." He rolled her onto her back and kissed her deeply, breath catching in his throat with her coaxing fondling. He rocked into her touch and he lifted her gown up to expose her stomach and breasts. "Oooh, you don't have any panties on," he observed. He slid his hand down to massage her, grinning happily.

"I was...oh!" She jerked a little, her sentence interrupted by the sensations. "I was waiting for you."

He kept fingering the sensitive little nub mercilessly, and he covered her mouth with another kiss. He loved how playful and sensual she was, even as he loved her shy moments. It had taken time, but he'd slowly brought her out of her shell and she didn't have _nearly_ as many hangups about her sexuality as she did when they first got involved. Thrusting slowly into the sliding grip of her hand, he growled playfully into her mouth and took his time.

Before long, the two shadowy figures merged and the sound of their moans and the creaking bed filled the room.

* * *

Two days of hard work passed, and when most of the damage to the fleet was repaired, Antyan sent Tenja to scout and his sire sent his spirit panther to do the same. Unfortunately, they found that Azirus was completely overtaken by the Rippers. Antyan called for another council meeting, and Tristan went with Tam to participate. When everyone had arrived, Antyan banged the gavel to begin discussing plans.

"I won't bother to beat around the bush," said the raven-haired pirate lord. On either side of him was his first mate Erishar—returned from the Chalice holding cells—and Rhinan. The latter of which was the only exception to the rule of "pirates only". Antyan leaned forward in his seat and threaded his fingers together on the surface of the table. "Azirus is lost to us, for now."

There was mumbling around the table, and coughs. Tristan frowned and looked up from his task of cleaning some leftover muck out of the peridot ring he wore on his right middle finger. "You sound pretty sure of that, Admiral. We could at least give it a try."

Antyan glanced at Tsabrak, and he shook his head. "I won't risk it. The Rippers don't have the ships to come after Voldus or Oricus again for some time, but they established a strong foothold in Azirus years ago. We would lose too many, if we tried to drive a wedge through the harbor defenses and invade."

"We _could_ take the harbor," Tsabrak explained, relaxed in his chair between his mate and Aurora, "but we'd never make it through the gates into the city, once we made landfall. The ground defenses would shred us to pieces."

Antyan nodded in agreement. "Just so."

"Then what the hell do we do?" Demanded Aurora. "Just let 'em have the island?"

"For now, dear one, it is all we _can_ do," placated Lythallendar. "That, and do our best to strengthen the defenses of both Oricus and Voldus. They may hold Azirus for a time, but the guild lords and the Wayfarers have secured the other two islands."

Antyan smirked at his father. "And have you any thoughts on what can be done to strengthen those defenses, father?"

Lythallendar smiled and shrugged, lowering his bright gaze. "I may have a thought or two, yes. I have been trying to familiarize myself more with the modern technology. It may take some time, but I believe with enough research I can get back up to speed and perfect a few things, here and there."

Tsabrak patted the lifebearer's shoulder proudly. "And if anyone can improve on what these islands already have, it's my Lythallendar."

Aurora nodded smugly in agreement, while Antyan gave a single, brief nod. He addressed the assembly again. "I realize some of you have schedules to keep, and there's nothing more to be done here save for repairs and fortification. The citizens of Voldus and Oricus can deal with most of that, so remaining is strictly voluntary. Should the situation change and we get the opportunity to strike out and take back Azirus, notification will be sent out. Feel free to keep any plunder you managed to procure from the wreckage. This meeting is adjourned."

He banged his gavel, and people began to leave the table to either hang out for a while or return to their ships. Tristan and Tam stuck around for a while, waiting to speak with Antyan and his family once the council chamber cleared out.

"Hey, I've gotta ask," muttered the human pirate to Antyan, once enough people had cleared the room. "What do you think the chances are that they'll attack again within a year?"

Antyan glanced at his parents and Rhinan, before answering. "Unlikely, but not improbable."

"That's what I figured." Tristan scratched his beard in thought.

"They are a very persistent lot," sighed Tam.

Aurora shrugged. "So if they come nosing about again, we'll blast them out of the water like we did before. We'll get those islands secured—especially with Daddy's expertise."

Lythallendar humbly spread his hands. "I shall do what I can, but please keep it in mind that I have much to learn, before I can engineer modern technology with full confidence."

Tristan nodded. "And how's the wizard doing, Star? He coming out of it yet?"

She nodded and smiled. "He's showing signs of waking up, and he'll be in for a helluva treat once he does. Thanks for asking, sexy."

Tristan mentally reviewed their supplies and the time it would take to get back to Avras. "Welp, I think we should refuel, restock and head out. I've got a little mermaid to set loose and we _do_ have some scheduled runs coming up this season. We'll be back in a month or so to help out with repairs, once we've taken care of business."

Aurora shrugged. "Fair enough. Are you sure your mermaid _wants_ to be let go, though?"

Tristan eyeballed her warily. "Why not? She's got a home and a life and friends to get back to."

"But...she has a family with us," murmured Tam.

Tsabrak, Lythas and the others moved away to speak quietly in a corner, evidently realizing the conversation was touching on something personal. Tristan frowned at his two companions. "What is this, lashran double-teaming? Look, Rhia wasn't supposed to even _be here_ in the first place. I just didn't find out she was stowed away on my ship 'till it was too late to turn around and bring her back."

"Hmm, so she snuck onto your ship and hid from you until you had no choice but to bring her along," observed Aurora with a smirk. "Doesn't sound like a fish that's too eager to get tossed back, Hunter."

Tam nodded in agreement. "She's very determined. I think she wants to be with us, Tristan. Especially you."

The human captain clenched his jaw and rubbed the back of his sore neck with one hand. "Well, it doesn't _matter_ what she wants. She belongs in Valkyrie Falls, and I'm taking her back before anything else can happen and she gets blown to pieces."

"If you were that worried about that happening, you'd have left her here at the fortress when we moved in to take back Voldus," Aurora pointed out.

"I didn't have _time_ ," excused Tristan. "The fight was already happening. Believe me, I'd have loved to drop her here instead of bring her along, but that wasn't in the cards."

"You'd have dropped her off if you really didn't believe she could handle it," said Aurora with certainty. "But you keep telling yourself that."

Tristan rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh. "You're as stubborn as she is. It doesn't matter, because I'm getting her butt back to Valkyrie Falls where she'll be safe."

Aurora and Tam exchanged a look, and Tristan felt like he'd just given away too much. He walked over to the other members of Aurora's group and offered his goodbyes. "It's been a wild ride. Me and my crew need to skidaddle out of here, but if you're all still around when we make it back to this part of the world, we'll drop in and party."

"Pleasure meeting you, Captain Hunter," offered Lythas politely, shaking his hand.

"Aye, take care of your lass and your crew," said Tsabrak, "and thanks for taking care of my brother."

"Anytime," replied Tristan. He shook hands with Rhinan and Erishar as well, before turning his attention back to Aurora. "Well, I guess this is goodbye again. Don't suppose you'd be up for one last kiss, huh?"

She smirked at him and put an arm around his neck, pulling him down for a swift kiss on the cheek. "That's all you get, m' lad. Save those kisses for your mermaid. I've a feeling she'll be needing all of 'em, while she can still get them."

* * *

While Rhiannon wasn't exactly sorry to leave Voldus, she was sorry to be going home. She had four, maybe five days tops to be with the crew and Tristan before they all sailed out of her life again. It was a depressing thought, but she tried not to dwell on it and let it spoil the time she had left with them. She spent her days learning as much as she could about seamanship and the sea, and she spent her nights making passionate love with Tristan. On the last night of their voyage, before they were due to arrive at Valkyrie Falls, she noticed something different about his lovemaking. It was the same as it has been that night when the Ripper goon had tried to kidnap her; he was extremely attentive and tender...and he looked at her in that way that almost made her believe he loved her.

The following day, she awoke to the sound of the horn and the bell and she felt a lump of dread in her stomach.

_~Here I go...back to my mundane life.~_

It made her want to vomit. She turned her head to regard the man sleeping beside her with his arm around her waist, and she gently brushed a stray lock of silver-streaked brown hair away from his eye. He looked so peaceful...but she had to wake him.

"Tristan," she murmured, rubbing his arm. "We're in VF."

"I'm awake," he whispered back without opening his eyes. He smiled a little, but it wasn't his usual toothy grin. It was more of a grimace. "Just let me pretend for a little while longer that we aren't there yet."

Rhiannon felt a lump forming in her throat at his subtle but meaningful hint that he wasn't all that happy to let her go. She rolled over to face him and she embraced him, cuddling close to his warmth. His lips pressed a kiss against her forehead as he returned the embrace, and she lay her cheek against his chest to listen to his heartbeat. She really didn't want to leave, but neither did she want to be clingy. She'd already acted like a kudzu vine in her bratty self-indulgence.

Tristan's fingers traced patterns on her naked back, and he spoke softly again. "You're going to be okay, right? You said you had another job lined up."

She nodded and kissed his chest, and she absently toyed with the hoop piercing his left nipple. "Mel told me I could come back to the studio anytime I want. I guess he figured I was just going through a phase when I left to work at the department store...maybe taking a break from all the bitchy models."

Tristan chuckled. "As long as you've got a backup, cutie. If you _do_ have trouble getting your old job back and need a little help with finances for a while, you just let me know, okay?"

"Thanks, but I'll be all right. You've already done enough for me."

And boy, was _that_ ever true. He'd alleviated her fear of men somewhat, taught her things she'd never known—not just about sex, but about life, and helped her find her courage. As scary as the sea battle had been and as hard as the work afterwards had been, she'd truly had the time of her life. She was honestly sorry to see it end.

"But all the same, if you get in trouble I'll help," he insisted.

She giggled, even as tears stung her eyes. "You big teddy bear. I'll be fine. Really."

He stroked her hair, and his beard and mustache tickled her forehead as he kissed it again. "Just trying to make sure my best girl's taken care of."

Rhiannon took her cheek off his chest and she looked at his face, searching his expression. "Am I? Your 'best girl', that is."

He opened his eyes to gaze back at her, and he nodded. "Yeah. You're definitely my favorite now."

He said it with such an uncommonly sincere expression on his face that she had to believe him. Rhiannon kissed him softly on the lips, and she very nearly pleaded with him to let her keep sailing with him. She had to be realistic, though. If he really wanted her permanently in his life, he'd have already said so.

* * *

He felt a strange sense of desolation after watching Rhiannon say her goodbyes to everyone and escorting her back to the Jolly Whistler. She insisted on leaving most of the clothes she'd procured in her trip on the Sea Lion, so that she wouldn't need to bother with packing if he ever asked her to go on a cruise with him again.

"You don't mind, do you?" she asked as he stood in her flat with her. "I mean, if you need the trunk for other things I could—"

"No, it's cool, Rhia." He looked her up and down, trying to think of something to say. The only time he'd ever come _close_ to feeling this way was with the mother of his dead son, and she'd turned out to be a bust. "I don't mind keeping your clothes in that trunk. Maybe in a few months we can do it again...well, not like _that_ , but you know what I mean."

She smiled tremulously. "I would like that, Tristan."

He hesitated, feeling suddenly awkward. Usually she was so easy to interact with, but now he felt uncertain of how to behave. Should he hug her? Kiss her? He could only surmise that it was this hard all the sudden because he'd grown way too attached to her. He forced his confusion into the background and he approached her to put his arms around her.

"I'll miss you, Rhia. Take good care of yourself and hold onto that gun I gave you."

She returned his embrace, and he heard her sniffle a little against his shirt. "Thank you. Take care of yourself too, okay? I don't want to hear you got blown up somewhere."

He chuckled and rested his chin on the top of her head. "That won't happen, sweets. I've got a damned good crew and the only thing we've got scheduled for the next couple months is a few merchandise runs."

"Well, good." She sighed and pulled away to reach up and cup his face in her hands. Her eyes searched his for a moment, and then she rose on her tiptoes and drew him down for a goodbye kiss. It lasted for quite some time, before she gently pushed him away. "No, no. Your crew is waiting for you, mister."

Tristan grinned. "But you've got him all happy now." He brushed the evidence of his arousal against her hip. "Can't we have a goodbye quickie?"

Rhiannon shook her head. "It's never a 'quickie', remember? Now take care of yourself and go, before I get all clingy again."

He smirked. "You were never 'clingy', Rhia."

"You're just saying that to be nice," she accused. "Still, I appreciate it. Now, shoo, before I can't let go of you." She swatted his bottom and turned him around to face the door.

"All right, all right...I'm going." He paused at the threshold once he got the door open, and he turned around to face her again. "One last kiss, though."

Before she could protest, he pulled her to him and laid a fiercely passionate kiss on her that may as well have been a brand. She clung to him and returned it with searing intensity to match his, and he damned near shut the door again and carried her off to the bed. He barely resisted the urge, and he set her back down on her feet with reluctance and gave her a wink and a grin.

"I'll contact you in a few days, beautiful. I'll let you know when I'm back on your side of the coast again, too."

She was likewise breathing a bit heavily. "You'd better. Safe sailing, Captain Hunter."

* * *

After he'd gone, Rhiannon plopped down on her bed and put her face in her hands, trying not to cry. She shook her head and got up again to draw her blinds and look out her window. From her vantage point, she could see the harbor—and the Sea Lion, waiting to depart. She hurried to her closet and she dug out her old binoculars from the overhead shelf. She'd bought them so she could watch meteor showers and other such celestial events better, but they were coming in more handy now than ever.

She zoomed in, and she could just make out Tristan walking back onto the docks. He said something to Tam, and the lashran nodded and called out to the crew. The boarding ramp came down and the two of them got on the ship together. Tristan paused at the top of the ramp and looked back toward down, almost directly at the spot where Rhiannon was. The plume on his hat fluttered in the ocean breeze, pointing in the direction of town. It was almost like it wanted to escape and float back in the direction he'd come from. Her heart thudded in her chest and she swallowed.

"Go. Just go," she whispered. "The sooner you're gone, the sooner I can get over you."

Tam called out to him, and Tristan seemed to heave a sigh before turning back around and continuing his trajectory. Rhiannon stood unmoving, watching as the crew prepared the vessel to leave. She could hear the horn blow, then more faintly the bell...and she lowered the binoculars to quickly crack the window. She almost smiled when she heard the music start up, and she put the binoculars back to her eyes to watch the ship depart the harbor, carrying with it the "family" she'd obtained and the reckless man that had wormed his way into her heart. She sniffed and waved with her free hand.

"Be safe, guys."

* * *

Auric got the phone call a short while later that Rhiannon was back in town. She sounded very emotional though, and being empathic, he could sense her distress. He told her not to go anywhere and he came right over. Thankfully he didn't have work today to get in the way. When he let himself into her flat with the spare key she'd given him, he found her sitting despondently in the armchair by the window, just staring out at the harbor. He glanced around before coming in and approaching her. He knelt before the chair and looked up at her, putting his hands on her knees.

"Rhia? What happened, love?"

Her brown-gold eyes settled on him, and they filled with tears in response to the compassion in his voice. "He's gone," she said, choking a little. Her breath hitched and she grabbed a handkerchief she'd been holding in her lap, hastily wiping her eyes with it as they began to stream. "He dropped me off and he left. I wasn't even going to bother to change his mind. He has...has his life and I...have mine..." a little sob broke free and she blew her nose.

"Oh, honey...he didn't even offer to take you with him this time?" Auric squeezed her knees supportively, aching for her.

She shook her head. "And I didn't ask. I know it's probably for the best. Trinity would say so. She'd be here lecturing me for going off with him in the first place, if I'd called her."

He snorted. "Well, Trin has issues believing in love. I'd say the woman doesn't have a heart at all, if it weren't for the way she took you in when you were in dire straits. Don't worry about what _she_ thinks. There's a reason she picked 'Loveless' as her last name, you know."

"Doesn't matter," sniffed Rhiannon with a desolate shake of her head. "She's still right. It was stupid of me to let myself fall into some fairy tale and think I could live happily ever after with him."

"Hey, there's nothing stupid about wanting to be loved," argued the lifebearer, "and there's nothing stupid about chasing a dream. Well, there _can_ be, but that's only if you let yourself get swamped by the vision and miss the reality in the process. It doesn't look to me like you've done that, Rhia. You took a chance, you fell in love and then you let him go. I think if anything, the 'letting him go' part was stupid. No offense."

She managed a shaken smile and sniffled again. "From the world's biggest hopeless romantic, it's not really an insult."

He sighed and smiled at her, reaching up to brush a tear away from her cheek. "What can I do for you, doll? How can I make it better?"

"You already have," she whispered. "I just needed someone to know and be supportive."

"Always, Rhia," he promised. He rose to his feet and he took her hands to help her out of the chair. "You'll always have your Auric. Come here."

She entered his embrace with a choked sob, and he held her while she cried it out.

* * *

"So what's our heading, Cap'n? Where are we going?"

Tristan checked the sea charts before answering the navigator. "First we'll hit Toria. I've got business to take care of there. We'll pick up some cargo while we're there, and then we'll swing by Driscal to drop it off. I think I can arrange a little job there. I know someone that's been trying to get some goods to Harroway for a while. Guess where we go after that?"

Ian exchanged a glance with Lotus. "Harroway?"

"Yup." Tristan nodded and checked his heading. "Should be about a week's worth of travel. After Harroway, we can just see where the wind takes us."

"Hmm, sounds like a plan," said Ian.

Lotus motioned for him to step outside the bridge with her, and when he complied, she spoke in a low tone. "He's hitting every port his girlfriends are at...did you notice?"

The navigator nodded. "Aye. Looks like he wants to hit them up for some booty."

She compressed her lips in annoyance. "You'd think he'd have gotten enough of that with Rhiannon."

"I don't think it's 'cause he's horny," muttered Ian.

Lotus smirked. "He's trying to go back to what he was, then. She got under his skin."

Ian nodded. "It's his call. I'll go check the weather radar and see what we might be in for."

She nodded and went back into the bridge. Leaning back against the wall, she eyeballed their captain critically. Tristan sensed her gaze and he half-turned to glance at her. "What?"

"Just curious as to why you're so determined to chase some skanks when you've got a mink waiting for you back at that harbor we just left."

Tristan whistled softly. "Damn, I'm getting you a word filter on your next birthday. They aren't 'skanks'."

She nudged away from the wall, un-apologetic. "Oh yeah? Let's run through the list. Caitlin's always rolling or tripping—no telling who she fucks when you aren't around. Hanna's all right I s'pose, except she's cheating on her fiancé with you and he's got no idea. Alison's missing more than a few bricks in her wall and she makes a living giving guys lap-dances—"

"You know, you're pretty judgmental for a lady pirate," he interrupted, annoyed. "What do you care what they do with their private lives?"

"I don't," she insisted, "but the only thing you have in common with any of them is sex. Out of all the women in your life, Star and Rhiannon are the only ones I've ever seen you connect with."

"I've 'connected' with others," protested Tristan. "One of them gave birth to my son."

"And two gave birth to your daughters," reminded Lotus, "but it was all just 'touch and go' with them. Look, I'm not trying to be the moral police, cap'n, but I see what you're doing and you can't substitute quality for quantity, no matter how hard you try. I say this 'cause I care for you, believe it or not."

He smirked. "Well thanks, but the only thing you need to worry about on this ship is doing your job."

"Hmph. Fine then. I won't try to stop you from being a man-whore."

Tristan's jaw dropped briefly. "Hey, that's no way to talk to your captain!"

She shrugged. "I say a lot of things I shouldn't say to my captain. Doesn't make any of them less true. Now excuse me...I have work to do, as you just reminded me."

He stared after her as she exited the bridge again, and when he was gone, he sighed dejectedly. Lotus didn't understand...but he hadn't explained his reasons to her, either. She would probably flip if she had even an inkling of his true purpose.

* * *

Tristan took a quick trip into town once they reached their first destination, and he came back with a red handprint on his face. He ignored the shocked stares of his crew as he entered the bridge and sat down in the captain's chair. "Okay, that's one down and two to go," he announced to Tam. "Tell the crew to get the cargo loaded up for out next destination. I'm kicking back for a nap."

With that said, he leaned back in his chair and pulled his hat down low over his eyes, before crossing his arms over his chest and lowering his head. Tam stared at him incomprehensively for a moment before making the announcement over the intercom. A short while later, the Sea Lion left the harbor of Toria. Tam set the coordinates for Driscal, his puzzled gaze sliding to the now-snoring captain. He knew better than to question him on his personal business, but he guessed things didn't go all that well with Caitlin during his visit. Thinking perhaps Tristan was just on a bad roll with women lately, he thought no more of it and he took care of piloting the ship for a while as the captain rested.

They arrived in Driscal a couple of days later, and Tristan disembarked to go into town and visit his girlfriend Hanna. This time he didn't return with a handprint on his face, but he looked oddly somber. Once again, the crew was scratching their heads and wondering what was going on.

"Okay guys, we've got another shipment to make," he said to them on the top deck. "You know the drill; keep the 'filler' stuff out in the open in the cargo hold and put the real goods in the smuggling hatches. Customs is going to scour this ship when we reach Harroway, and we don't need them finding anything they're not s'posed to find, right?"

The crew agreed, of course, and they got to work on preparing everything for the delivery to Harroway. Some ports had stricter customs than others, and they were used to stashing away anything illegal or questionable that might land them into trouble. As they rushed to collect the goods being brought to the ship by his associates, Tristan made his way to the bridge. Lotus and Blinky both eyed him suspiciously, and the former joined him on the bridge after a moment.

"Are you going to tell us what's really going on, Cap'n, or should we just draw our own conclusions?"

Tristan glanced at her, smiled and shrugged. "Two down, one to go."

She raised her brows expectantly, but he didn't offer any further information than that. With a sigh and a shake of her head, Lotus exited the bridge and she shrugged at her fellow crew when some of them gave her questioning looks.

"I've got no fucking idea, guys. Sometimes it's better to just give up than give yourself a blood clot trying to work out the man's logic." She smirked and she gave Blinky an affectionate little squeeze. "We're getting paid either way, so unless he does something that puts us all at risk, might as well just go along with it and pretend we aren't lost."

Skidder grumbled under his breath, quite used to Tristan's vagueness. "He's up to something, mark my words."

"He's _always_ up to something," reminded Lotus. "Let's just get this done and hope he's not just flying by the seat of his pants, aye?"

* * *

A few days later they made port in Harroway, and once customs had inspected the ship for illegal goods, they waited for night to fall before transporting the cargo off the ship to the black market merchant that was waiting for it. He was a gruff man in his forties, and he tried to haggle with Tristan over the price. Fortunately, the captain wasn't in the mood to cut a deal. He was cranky because he still had one last bit of unpleasant business to take care of while he was in town, and he wasn't even sure why he was doing it. He also missed Rhiannon, and that just troubled him more.

"You can pay the price you agreed to, or we can sell it all to someone else," said Tristan. "Good luck finding another ship willing and able to smuggle this stuff to you. Good luck finding someone else that can sell it to you as well, for that matter."

The merchant eyed him with annoyance, then glanced at the crates in the back of the van they'd rented to bring them. He finally heaved a sigh and nodded, calling out to one of his assistants to bring the box of currency. Ian counted the money and gave Tristan a nod.

"It's all there."

"Good." Tristan took the box and he shook the merchant's hand. "Nice doing business with you, Mr. Hornsby. Look us up if you ever need—"

"Don't move!"

Tristan and his crew did exactly the opposite when they heard the shout and the click of weapons. They immediately reached for their firearms as the Harroway policemen came out from their hiding places—which Tristan knew he should have bothered checking out before the exchange was made. He glared at the merchant, who had tossed his hands up and gotten down on his knees.

"You sold us out, you shit." Tristan knew this wasn't the fault of the trader that had made the deal with him in Driscal. He'd done business with her before and she'd never turned on him once.

"Didn't have much of a choice," growled Hornsby. "They busted me last week and my choices were to help them catch smugglers in the act or spend the rest of my life in prison."

"Drop your weapons," called the apparent leader of the law enforcement group. His gun was trained on Tristan. "Captain Hunter will be the first to go down, if you don't comply!"

Tristan grimaced and sighed, taking his hands off his pistols and holding them up and out. "Hold your fire and ease off, guys. They've got us. Sorry about this."

Skidder cursed and glared at the captain with accusing frustration as he put his hands up.

* * *

-To be continued


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

Rhiannon returned to South Bridge Studio a few days after her return to Valkyrie Falls, having spoken with her old boss Mel and asking for her job back. He was happy to have her back on board, but she had to take a slight pay cut during a probation period, since she'd quit with little warning the last time. She was fine with that; she was still making about as much as she'd been making at the department store, so she'd still be able to pay bills and feed herself. She tried to get out of her funk, but after living such an adventure, the "regular world" just seemed so...mundane.

"You'll be back in the swing of it in no time," Auric promised her. "You just need a little time to re-adjust. At least you know everyone here and get along with them."

Yes, she agreed with that last part, but she silently doubted she'd be back to her old self in "no time". As much as she knew he meant well, Auric didn't know what it was like for her. He was living his life just the way he wanted, with a career he was very good at, a partner to come home to at the end of the day and a nice, big apartment. He'd even mentioned that he and Eredin had discussed the possibility of bonding and starting a family. He _had_ what he wanted—what he _needed_ —in his life. She didn't.

Rhiannon tried not to resent him for living his dream, while she was stuck in a life she no longer recognized, doing something that had once given her pleasure, but now seemed to be a career meant for a totally different person. She missed the Sea Lion, she missed the crew, and most of all, she missed their charming captain and his reckless, fun-loving ways.

A week passed...then another, and still she received no word from Tristan or the crew. It depressed and confused her. She'd thought she made a connection with them. She would have hoped that Lotus at least would find the time to shoot her a text or ring her up to say hello. She tried texting both her and Tristan, but after yet a third week passed with no response, she started to feel less rejected and more concerned. Surely _one_ of them would have contacted her by now, even just to say they'd been too busy. The satellite phones on the ship should have enabled them to call her even if they were too far out to sea to get cellular reception.

At least _one_ of her friends involved in the fracas saw fit to call her. Haden got in touch with her at the end of week three to see how she was doing and give her the skinny on what was currently happening in Zarn.

"Well, Oricus and Voldus are still holding," explained the knight as Rhiannon plopped down on her stomach on the bed to listen. "Construction's coming along nice, so Glaive and I are heading back to VH tomorrow. Agent Blackbird's gonna hang around a while longer. I think the only reason he's coming back is for his son. Glaive thinks he might eventually relocate to Oricus, but I'm not so sure about that."

Seeing as she didn't know Agent Blackbird, the news meant nothing to Rhiannon. She'd only met the man briefly, but she understood he was once a top agent and both the Ulvari and the Knights respected the hell out of him. "Hmm. Well, nobody got hurt, did they?"

"I got a little banged up when we were clearing out the city of Rippers," answered Haden, "but nothing too bad. I'd say we did pretty good, with what we were up against. I mean we lost some people in the fight but it could have been worse. So, are you back in Valkyrie Falls, or are you still out touring the world with those pirates?"

She chuckled, but it lacked her usual humor. "I'm back home. They had other things to do and I wasn't officially a pirate. Just a groupie."

"Hey, don't say that about yourself," he admonished kindly. "You're way better than a 'groupie', Rhia. Um...so is your boyfriend coming back, or was that just...like...a temporary thing?"

She sighed. "I don't know. I haven't heard from any of them since they dropped me off after we left Zarn. I don't suppose you've heard any news, have you?"

"Nothing since they split," he answered. "Sorry, Rhia. Maybe they just got hung up somewhere and haven't had the chance to touch bases with you."

"Maybe," she conceded without any real enthusiasm. "Or maybe he's just blowing me off."

Haden went quiet for a second. "I don't know the details of your relationship with that guy, but he seemed pretty protective of you from where I was standing. I don't want to give you false hope, but by my reasoning, he wouldn't have been like that if he planned on just blowing you off."

Rhiannon smirked humorlessly. "That's because you're a nice guy and can't imagine doing something so mean, yourself. I don't know, Haden...I want to think he wouldn't do that, but if that's not the case, then he could be in trouble. I don't know whether I should be worried or pissed off. I've even been watching the news in case anything comes up, but there's been nothing."

An idea came to her then, and she rolled onto her back and sat up, tucking her legs under her. "Hey, Haden...do you think you could find out if he's been arrested anywhere? Or...killed? Knights have access to regional records, right?"

"Yeah, I can do that for you," he promised. "And while you're at it, you might want to hit up your friend Auric's boyfriend for any records of him or his crew getting hospitalized anywhere. He wouldn't be breaking doctor/patient confidentiality just by checking. At least then you'll have two avenues covered, if I don't find anything. If nothing else, it'll rule those two possibilities out and you can start being mad instead of worried."

"That's a great idea," she complimented. "I should have known you'd think of something like that. Okay, I'm going to get on the phone with Auric now and try to set that up. Please get back to me the minute you find anything, Haden. I can't stand this not knowing anymore."

"Will do, Rhia. Just try to think positive, okay?"

"I'll try. Thanks, Haden. You're the best."

She hung up with him and she took a steadying breath before calling Auric. "I am so demented," she complained as she looked him up on her contact list. "Having my friends scour arrest and hospital records. I'm going to feel so dumb if this is just him being too busy or...or him blowing me off."

But this was for her own peace of mind. She had to at least know he wasn't in jail or dead or lying in some hospital somewhere. She'd worry about the rest after she ruled all of that out.

* * *

Dr. Ketus got back to her the next day and informed her that there were no reports of anyone from the Sea Lion being admitted to any regional hospitals; nor did he find any international records of the same. There were also no death certificates issued for any of them, as far as he knew—but that was difficult to be sure of since most of them went by aliases. Rhiannon thanked him and she tried to think of what to do with her weekend, to take her mind off of her anxiety.

"Well, they aren't dead or in the hospital," she reasoned to herself, "so at least that's something. Damn it, I just want—"

Her cell phone started to ring and she quickly snatched it back up from the bed, heart leaping at the possibility that it was Tristan. She frowned when she saw that it was an unknown number. Usually she didn't answer unknown numbers, because they tended to be solicitors trying to get her to buy something or donate to a charity. She also still harbored the fear that it could be her ex...that he'd gotten out of prison early and tracked her down again.

She nearly declined the call, but she bit her lip. Deciding to take the chance, she went ahead and answered it. "Hello?"

"Good afternoon," came a male voice on the other line. "May I please speak with Miss Rhiannon Argyle?"

She groaned inwardly, thinking that it was indeed someone trying to sell her something. "This is she."

_~Make it fast so I can turn you down and hang up. I'm not in the mood for this crap today.~_

"Hello, Miss Argyle. My name is Justin Cole, and I represent the Cole and Bradbury lawfirm in Cothmere. How are you today?"

Her frown returned and now she was both nervous and confused. "I'm all right. How are you?"

"Very good, thank you for asking." His voice was cultured and friendly, but businesslike. "Miss Argyle, I'm sure you're wondering why you're getting a phone call from a lawfirm all the way in Cothmere, so I'll get straight to the point. I'm contacting you on behalf of Captain Tristan Hunter and his crew."

She sank back down on the bed slowly, her gaze going blank as possibilities whirled in her mind. "What happened? Are they all right?"

"Oh, they're fine," he assured her, "but they could be facing a heavy prison sentence if Defense can't convince the jury this was all a misunderstanding. You see Miss Argyle, my firm represents the Wayfarers and I received a call the week before last that Captain Hunter and his crew were arrested in Harroway, and are facing charges of criminal mischief, theft, resisting arrest and smuggling illegal goods. I'm going to need some character witnesses to testify on their behalf. Your name came up when I interviewed each of them for legal advice, and it seems you've spent a bit of time with them. I wonder if you would be willing to testify either in person or over a virtual internet chat room. I understand you may not be able to attend a court summons in person, but—"

"I'll travel," she interrupted immediately, relief flooding her being. They were alive...and safe, for now. Of course, she had no idea how "safe" one could be considered in prison. "One thing confuses me though, sir. You said that they got arrested in Harroway, and that's way up north. What are they doing in Cothmere?"

"All large court proceedings—particularly those involving piracy—are handled in the capital," he explained to her, "which is why we've represented the Wayfarers for years. The maximum security prison here also happens to be where all pirates are transferred to serve their sentences."

"Oh." She got up and began to pace. "What kind of sentence could they face?"

"Most of them will get ten to twenty years," he answered, "but there's a small chance that Captain Hunter himself could be looking at the death sentence."

She went pale, and she shook her head in denial. "B-but why? Do they have murder charges on him or something?"

"Not from recently, but from years ago," answered the attorney. "They generally wave it when the victim or victims were outlaws themselves, you understand. Whether the prosecution chooses to try and use that against him or not depends on the attorney and how ruthless they are. I don't want you to worry though, Miss Argyle; we haven't had a defendant get the death penalty on our watch for years."

"But it's happened before," she reasoned, feeling sick to her stomach.

"Yes, but in that specific case, a man of the law was killed by the defendant. As I said, the law usually tends to overlook instances in which a defendant is guilty of killing another outlaw. Most consider it a favor to society; one less pirate or criminal to deal with."

Rhiannon bit her lip. Tristan probably killed _plenty_ of Rippers during that sea battle in Zarn. "What can I do?"

"I can help you make travel arrangements, as well as room and board while you're in the capital. We'll get you prepped for your testimony and I'll run you through some of the questions you can expect from prosecution. What you'll need to focus on the most is to testify that you have never seen the captain or his crew conduct any illegal smuggling activities in your time knowing them. You should also give your account of the battle in Zarn, and the fact that thousands of civilians would have been killed, enslaved or left homeless if it weren't for the efforts of his crew and the Wayfarers. It really has nothing to do with the charges brought up against them, but it might elicit some sympathy and show the jury that pirates can be honorable people too."

Rhiannon closed her eyes. "Yes, they can. All right Mr. Cole; when do I need to be there?"

* * *

"But you just got _back_ , kid," Mel argued with her when Rhiannon went to his office the next day to inform him she had to leave for a few days in a week's time. "I've cut you some slack for old time's sake, but you can't just start a new job and then take off before you've even been there for a month!"

"I'm sorry Mel," she said sincerely. "I really hate to ask, but it's a court summons and I have to be there. This isn't a vacation."

He grumbled under his breath. "What's this even about?"

She looked away and mumbled.

"What?" He put a hand to his ear. "Pilates? What the hell does _that_ mean? Who summons someone all the way from the coast to testify against an exercise routine?"

"I said 'pirates'," she corrected with a blush. "They need me on the stand to testify about charges against some pirates."

His brow furrowed. "You mean that bunch that kidnapped you last month?"

Rhiannon thought she could cheerfully throttle Trinity, right now. "They didn't 'kidnap' me, no matter what Trin said to you about it. I went with them of my own free will, and I'm testifying _for_ them, not against them. Mel, the captain could even get the death penalty. I could never live with myself if that happened and I might have helped prevent it. Please understand...I'm going whether you give me the time off or not. I'm sorry, but his life is more important than my job security."

She got the pleasure of seeing her boss look taken aback for a moment. Mel was a hard man to surprise, and now he seemed to be looking at her differently as he leaned back in his chair. "Well, looky here...you've grown a backbone. I'll be damned."

She shrugged. "I've just learned to stand up for what's really important to me. Will I have a job when I get back, or do I need to start getting my references together?"

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "And all this for a gang of sea thugs."

"They aren't thugs," she protested. "You wouldn't say that if you knew any of them."

Mel looked up at her again and he threaded his fingers together on top of his desk. "You're a good kid, Rhiannon. I just don't want to see you fall in with the wrong crowd after all you've done to turn your life around."

She smiled at him and she circled around to the other side of the desk to bend over and give him a kiss on the cheek. "I appreciate that, but I'm going. I hope you can at least forgive me, even if you decide to can me."

He sighed. "Nobody's canning you. Go and help your damned pirate friends, and then you get your butt back here and work some overtime to make up for it. Just don't do anything stupid, we clear?"

"Crystal," she agreed, giving his shoulder a squeeze. "Thanks, Mel. You're the greatest."

He grumbled again and gestured at the door. "Go on...get. I've got paperwork to do."

Rhiannon smiled again and obligingly left his office. She found Trinity waiting for her on the other side of the door and she sighed at the cool, calculating expression on the lashran woman's dark features. "What? Go ahead...let me have it. Tell me I'm nuts and I'm making a mistake and he's not worth it and—"

"Actually, I was going to wish you luck," interrupted Trinity. "If this man means so much to you, then maybe you've managed to find what I never could."

Rhiannon blinked at her, floored. "You...you're actually _supporting_ me?"

Trinity shrugged elegantly. "You'll do it whether I approve or not. You're not the same scared little rabbit you used to be, Rhia. If nothing else, I can admire your determination." She reached out and laid her hands on the smaller woman's shoulders, finally smiling a little. "So good luck."

Touched, Rhiannon started to answer her, when her phone began to buzz. She dug it out of her purse to find that it was Haden, finally getting back to her. She answered it with an ironic little smirk. "Hi, Haden. Before you tell me, I already know they've been arrested. Their lawyer called me yesterday to ask me to come testify for them."

"Yeah, I figured," sighed the knight. "Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner but I couldn't access the database 'till we got back home and to Headquarters. The lawyer called Mr. Saber too, and then _he_ told Blackbird and Blackbird called us. Looks like the lawfirm is rounding up a whole bunch of people to come to the stand."

"Oh, so are you going to be there too?" Rhiannon felt heartened by the possibility of having supportive friends nearby during the proceedings. She was nervous enough about taking the stand, without being all on her own.

"No, Glaive and I can't make it, but Saber and Blackbird are going. Zevian might not be the best character witness they could pick since he's a guild lord, but Blackbird's record is spotless. I don't know who all else they're trying to bring in but this attorney really seems to know his stuff. I think he's setting up a really good defense for them, so try not to worry too much. Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah, just nervous. I'm...pretty sure the Wayfarers wouldn't let them execute Tristan. Maybe they'd break him out, if they had to."

"I'm gonna pretend I didn't just hear that," he said teasingly. "Just take care of yourself and try not to sweat it too much, okay? It'll all work out, one way or another."

Rhiannon sighed. "I sure hope so. Well thank you for the effort, Haden. Say hello to Glaive for me."

"Can do. Good luck, Rhia. We'll keep our fingers crossed."

* * *

A week later, Tristan paced in his cell, wondering where he went wrong. He snorted. "I got impatient and cocky; that's where I went wrong. Too much time spent thinking of a girl and not enough time spent paying attention. Dumbass."

He heard the approach of the guards and he looked up from his pacing feet as they approached his cell door. "Your attorney's here, Hunter. You know the drill."

Tristan shrugged and approached the door so that he could stick his hands through the narrow opening at waist-level, allowing them to cuff him before opening the door. He turned around and he rested his bound hands on the wall, putting his back to them so they could shackle his ankles. "Don't suppose he brought a friend with him for a conjugal, did he?"

The guards glanced at each other and one of them smirked. "Let's go, Hunter."

Wondering what that smirk was about, Tristan shuffled with them out the door. He passed by the cells of his crew and he waved at them awkwardly with his cuffed hands as they called out to him. "Don't worry guys; we'll make it through this."

"Keep moving," warned the guard on the left. "You can talk to your accomplices in the exercise yard later on."

Tristan stumbled a little as he was prodded. "Damn, fine. I'm not gonna move much faster if you knock me over."

They escorted him into one of the monitored visitation rooms, and they attached his shackles to a ring in the floor so that he wouldn't be able to move from his chair. Tristan sat down and he waited as they left. Feeling mischievous, he started talking to the big mirror on the left wall that concealed the smaller room that always had someone monitoring visits. They were required by law to turn off the sound when prisoners were getting legal counseling, but he knew they'd be listening in until Justin got there and announced he was about to begin.

"Must be pretty boring to sit back there day in and day out. I'd try to entertain you, but...well..." he raised his hands, demonstrating his cuffs. "Of course, I don't _need_ my hands all the time. My girlfriends could tell you that."

The door opened just as he finished saying that, and Tristan went still as a familiar, sweet voice spoke up. "You big flirt. You could be coming on to a four-hundred pound man behind that glass, for all you know."

Tristan stared as his attorney entered the room and held the door open for Rhiannon Argyle. Her unexpected presence quickly took the wind out of his sails, and he drank in the sight of her. She was wearing a powder-blue sweater and a knee-length black tube skirt. On her feet, she wore pair of pumps matching the color of her sweater. Her auburn curls were gathered up on the sides and pinned back from her face. She was a sight for sore eyes, but she wasn't supposed to be here. Tristan looked at his lawyer accusingly as the sandy-blond man pulled out one of the chairs for Rhiannon, before taking a seat himself.

"I _told_ you not to drag her into this," reminded the pirate in frustration.

"When it comes to building the best defense possible for you," countered Justin calmly, "you don't make the decisions. I do. Aren't you going to say hello, Tristan?"

Tristan's eyes flicked to Rhiannon, who was gazing at him with those doe eyes of hers and a gentle expression on her lightly freckled face. He sighed and he forced a smile for her. "Hi, cutie. Sorry. I guess that wasn't exactly the kind of reaction you were expecting."

She smiled back. "It's okay. I understand."

Justin made a "cut" gesture at the mirror, and he waited for the light over it to turn red, indicating that the mic had been deactivated for confidentiality. "I'll leave the two of you alone for a couple of moments, and then we'll discuss your defense, Captain Hunter."

Tristan nodded and he waited for the lawyer to leave, before reaching across the table to take Rhiannon's reaching hands in his. He squeezed them gently and sighed. "Well, looks like I really stepped in it this time. Baby, I really didn't want to get you involved in this. I could have _killed_ Blinky when he gave your name as a possible character witness."

"Well I'm glad _one_ of you had the sense to do that," she murmured, drawing strength from his grip on her hands. "Like I would have said 'no'."

"That was never a question in my mind," he informed her. "I just didn't want to put you through this."

"If it will help free you or lighten your sentence, it's worth the stress." She bit her lip and she looked him up and down. "You look good for an inmate."

He glanced down at the orange prison suit and he shrugged. "Guess I've got the coloring to make it work. You should see Blinky in it though; he looks jaundiced."

She chuckled, feeling some sympathy for the sorcerer. She sobered a moment later and sighed, tilting her head. "I'm scared," she admitted.

He stroked his thumbs over the top of her hands, and he shook his head. "Don't be. Justin's the best lawyer out there someone like me could hope for. We didn't know those goods were stolen, and that's the defense we're sticking with."

She lowered her gaze. "And you think that will work? Justin told me a little about what happened. He said customs searched your ship and didn't find any of it, but then after they arrested you they found all these secret compartments."

He shrugged and spoke evenly. "Those are for personal storage, in case we get overpowered and boarded by enemies. Emergency stashes so we don't get robbed, you know? All we did was meet up with the guy that brought the goods and delivered it for him. We had no idea it was contraband until we brought it to the warehouse and made the exchange."

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Is...is that just the defense, or is it the truth?"

He smiled at her. "As far as you know, it's the truth."

Rhiannon stared at him for a moment, and then she lowered her gaze. "I get it. I guess it could work, but what if they bring in the people you've killed in the past? I heard...I heard they could push for the death penalty."

He chuckled. "What, over a few pirates? They can't even use the ones we killed in Zarn against me; that was war and it's waaay out of their jurisdiction. As for the bastards I took down for killing my boy, they were Rippers. The law wasn't going to do shit to them for what they did, so I took care of it myself. Don't worry, Rhia...I'm not going to hang for this. I might not even do time at all. Depends on how tight my defense is and how the jury sees it."

"And what happens if you get time for it?" she asked.

Tristan shrugged again. "Then I do my time like a good little inmate and see what Justin can do about getting me some conjugal visits. Guess who I'm gonna request for _those_ , eh?" He winked at her.

She offered a teensy smile in response to that. "Not one of your other girlfriends?"

He just stared at her, his smile softening a little. She looked like she wanted to question him further on that, but then the attorney came back in and Tristan reluctantly let go of her hands.

"All right, so you dragged my girlfriend into this shit against my wishes." Tristan relaxed in the chair as much as he was able to. "Who else did you get?"

"Mr. Zevian Saber from Ocathia and a veteran Ulvari agent by the name of Idrisar Blackbird. The former can testify as to what the Rippers have been doing in his country, and the latter is an agent from the Valkyrie Falls Ulvari branch. He can testify that you have had no recent charges against you or your crew indicating that you are contraband smugglers or thieves. The prosecution will be quick to remind the jury that you're pirates, and by definition that makes you outlaws. I'll counter that with the reminder that what you or the other Wayfarers do while in international waters or foreign countries is no concern of ours. With no proof that you've broken any recent laws in _this_ country, the jury will have to consider that this incident was just an unfortunate mistake."

"But they were after Tristan that day he and his crew came back to Valkyrie Falls," Rhiannon pointed out. "They were looking for him at the Jolly Whistler."

"They just wanted to nab me for questioning and try to find something they could pin on me," reminded the pirate. "We didn't have shit on us, but I didn't feel like spending the day at the station getting hassled, so I split."

"And that's perfectly logical," said Mr. Cole with a nod. He looked at Rhiannon. "The truth is, Miss Argyle, port authorities are always trying to find something on the pirates that come into town. The same goes for biker groups, for example. It's the way it's always been and the Wayfarers know that, so any commerce that would be considered illegal in these parts generally takes place in places like Zarn and parts of Ocathia."

"Yeah." Tristan sighed, wishing again that he'd never decided to make that damned delivery. "Well, most of us are smart enough to keep our noses clean here." He didn't say out loud that he'd neglected to do that this time. It didn't even need saying.

"And what if the jury goes for it?" Questioned Rhiannon.

The attorney tapped his fingers on the table. "If we can convince them, then the charges of criminal mischief, theft and smuggling might be waved or at least downgraded to misdemeanors. There's still the charge of resisting arrest, but it's on record that Captain Hunter told his crew to stand down and cooperate. The best outcome we can hope for is some hefty fines. Second best would be probation and possibly the captain and crew being banned from making port at Harroway for a few years. If we're not fortunate enough for those options, then some of them might have to do a couple year's time...but I'm going to shoot for the best possible outcome and avoid that happening."

Rhiannon nodded, and her gaze went to Tristan again. "You mentioned the risk of execution. Did you just say that to me to give me incentive to come?"

Tristan gave the lawyer an exasperated look. "Really, Justin? _Really_? So _that's_ where she heard that bullshit from."

The blond man didn't appear the least bit sorry. "I said there was a very slim chance that prosecution might push for it. I never said it would stick. I use whatever tools I think are necessary to get the best results for my clients, and the affection of a good woman is one of many."

Tristan clenched his jaw. "You're lucky I'm cuffed right now. Rhia, if you wanna give him a kick, go for it."

The attorney hissed and swore as the petite redhead took Tristan's advice and kicked his shin under the table. "Sorry, but you deserved that."

"I'm sure I did," he grunted. "Maybe it was overkill on my part, but I wasn't sure how much the prospect of him just doing some time might motivate you."

One of the guards pressed the buzzer to announced himself, before sticking his head in. "Three minutes left, Mr. Cole. Wrap it up."

The attorney nodded, and once the door was shut once more and the guard was gone, he spoke in a low voice to Tristan, keeping his head turned away from the mirror on the wall. "I have more strings to pull if I have to, but let's just try to do this the legal way first. Agreed?"

Tristan knew exactly what he was talking about. The Wayfarers had other means to get their brethren out of prison if they had to, but that would mean becoming a fugitive in Avras for _real_ , and probably for the rest of his life. "You're the expert. I'll leave it in your hands, Justin. Just make sure Rhia's taken care of while she's here...since you decided to scare the shit out of her and drag her into this."

"Absolutely," promised the attorney. He checked his watch. "Well, our time is up. Miss Argyle, let's get you to your hotel so that you can rest up for the trial and I can prep you for your time on the stand. My other character witnesses should arrive by tomorrow morning. Tristan...I'm sure I don't need to remind you to be on your best behavior when you take the stand and face sentencing. We don't need you cutting up and pissing off the judge."

"Who, me? I'd never do that." He laughed and he winked at Rhiannon when she shot him a worried look. "Hey, it's all good. I'm not eager to do time and I'll be a good boy. Don't worry, baby."

Justin stood up and nodded. "Good. Well then, Miss Argyle...shall we?"

She got up from her seat with obvious reluctance, nibbling her lower lip as she started for the door. She stopped, turned and rushed over to the table without warning, and she leaned over it to cup Tristan's face and give him a heartfelt kiss on the lips. "I'll see you at the trial," she whispered. "Please be good."

The kiss took him by surprise, and it reminded him of what he'd be missing out on if he ended up doing time. He nodded and he smiled at her. "For you? It's a promise."

* * *

The day of the trial came all too quickly, and despite all the prepping that Justin had done, Rhiannon was a ball of nerves as she walked into the courtroom with the attorney, Zevian Saber and Idrisar Blackbird. Zevian reminded her somewhat of Tristan, with his wit and charm. He was a handsome devil with his aqua cat eyes, long brown-gold braids and sexy smile. Idrisar was likewise charming, but his was a quieter, more mysterious kind of charm. Youthful though he looked, he had a wisdom about him that she found comforting, and he offered her soothing words of encouragement before they went into the courthouse. It was pretty obvious by the way Mr. Saber looked at the dark-haired Ulvari agent that they had something going on between them. She sat next to him as they took their seats, and Zevian sat down on his other side.

The prisoners were shuffled in and made to sit on the opposite side of the room, and Rhiannon impulsively waved at the crew when they saw her. The judge banged his gavel as some of them waved back with the clink of handcuffs, reminding them all that this proceeding was no social gathering.

"The trial of the captain and crew of the Sea Lion will now be underway," announced the judge.

Rhiannon took a deep breath, and she was surprised when Idrisar gave her hand a little squeeze. "Just imagine the prosecuting attorney in his underwear," suggested the agent in a whisper. "Zevian just told me to pass that on to you."

Rhiannon huffed a nervous little giggle.

* * *

It all seemed to run together for her. Rhiannon sat through the proceeding nervously as both sides called each one of Tristan's crew to the stand, before calling the captain himself. Doctor Landers was not incarcerated, unlike the rest of them. He had no criminal record at all and as a member of the medical community, he was given exemption until such time as it could be proven he had anything to do with illegal activities. He testified that he had no knowledge of Tristan or the crew ever conducting illegal commerce within Avras borders.

When they got to Tristan, Rhiannon tensed in her seat and braced herself to hear him crack some kind of inappropriate joke and get himself in trouble. To her relief—and surprise—he kept true to his word and while he did spare a few witty replies and draw some chuckles from the jury and his crew, he kept it respectful and answered all questions without hesitation. He spun some tale about the goods he'd gotten caught with arriving on a train, and he was simply doing a favor to a friend by offering to deliver it while he was in town. His crew had already backed up his story.

"But why would you accuse the man you were delivering the goods to of 'selling you out', if you weren't aware they were illegal?" demanded the prosecuting attorney.

Tristan chuckled. "Because a bunch of people busted in on us with guns drawn, that's why. I thought they were Rippers until I saw the police uniforms. That's when I told my crew to stand down. I didn't know what the hell was going on, but I figured we'd better just cooperate and get it over with."

"And you swear that the name you gave us of the man who arranged for you to pick up these goods at the train station that night is correct?" asked the attorney, "Because I think I should warn you that it's been looked into."

"Good, because it's the truth." Tristan didn't even blink.

* * *

The judge called for a recess, and Tristan was escorted back to his seat until he was required on the stand again. Ten minutes later, the trial resumed and Tristan was escorted back to the stand again. Amazingly, the name of this "friend" evidently checked out, and Rhiannon was left wondering how in the hell that could be. She knew everything he was saying about how he and his crew had come to have those illegal goods—which she still had no clue as to what they actually _were_ —in their possession. She knew there was more to this than what she'd heard, but she trusted she'd learn the details sometime in the future. What floored her was when the court-appointed investigator whispered in the judge's ear and the man turned to Tristan with a frown.

"Captain Hunter, are you aware that Richard Edwards was found dead last week in his home in Glass Haven?"

Tristan's brows shot up. "No shit? How'd he die?"

"Murdered," answered the judge. "His throat had been cut by an intruder. Someone painted the Ripper's symbol on the inside of his doorway after they finished with him."

Tristan looked convincingly bewildered. "Well no...I had no clue. I've been in jail for nearly a month. Last time I heard from him was when we talked on the phone and he asked me to deliver that stuff for him, when he found out where we were at."

"Hmm." The judge considered the report he'd been giving.

"Your honor, if I may approach Captain Hunter?" Queried Justin. When the judge made a gesture of consent, the defense attorney approached the stand. "Captain Hunter, do you think your associate may have gotten mixed up with the Rippers?"

"Objection, leading!" Called the other attorney. The judge overruled it and asked Tristan to answer the question.

"Richie?" Tristan shook his head. "No way. He's been working with the Wayfarers for years."

"But you said he's been retired," reasoned Justin. "Is it possible that in order to get a little extra income, he agreed to be a mule for someone in their organization and when they discovered he'd left it up to their rivals to deliver the goods and collect the money?"

Tristan considered that, his gaze flicking to his crew. "I don't want to think he'd do something like that, but Richie's been getting into some pretty heavy drinking over the years. I guess he's not the same guy I used to deal with back in the day. Maybe. I guess they could have tipped off the law to get at us. It's been a pretty nasty rivalry and it just keeps getting uglier."

"Thank you," said Justin, and he turned to face the jury. "And while we're on the subject of the 'nasty rivalry' between the Rippers and the Wayfarers, I'd like to call my first character witness to the stand, if I may."

The judge nodded and Tristan was escorted back to his seat. Rhiannon swallowed as she was called to the stand next. She swore her oath of truth and she took her seat as Justin approached her. "Now Miss Argyle, please describe for the court your experience on the Sea Lion when the Wayfarers arrived in Zarn to liberate the islands that the Rippers had invaded."

She nodded and began, though in truth, she didn't get to see very much of the battle, herself. She'd witnessed the aftermath however, and she'd witnessed the efforts of all the Wayfarers to rescue civilians, repair the damage done to the city and secure the harbor. She spoke truthfully, getting a little choked up when she got to the part about the bodies of the residents being retrieved to be buried at sea. She also testified that to her knowledge, the Sea Lion conducted no illegal trade or activity when they were in Avras with her as a passenger.

Justin thanked her, and she braced herself again when the prosecuting attorney approached.

* * *

It was harrowing, just as Mr. Cole had warned it would be. She made it through his cross-examination with only a few hitches, almost losing her temper at one point when he said something disparaging about Tristan.

"I'm curious as to why a nice girl like you is defending a man like this," he said with a gesture at Tristan. "It's really no secret that he's a notorious womanizer. What did he promise you in exchange for your testimony?"

"Nobody's perfect," she said with a shrug, biting back her anger, "and he didn't promise me a thing. I came because I heard my friends needed my testimony, and I didn't want to see them end up in jail for something that wasn't their fault. That's all."

The attorney smirked. "Do you _really_ believe these people are innocent of wrongdoings, Miss Argyle?"

She looked over at them and she shook her head. "I didn't say that. I said they're being accused of something that wasn't their fault."

"So then if they _were_ guilty of deliberate contraband, you'd have no problem with them going to jail."

"Objection," called Mr. Cole, "he's leading the witness."

"Overruled," answered the judge. "Miss Argyle, please answer the question."

Justin had warned her that prosecution would try to twist her words and use them against her, to rattle her and make her slip up and lose credibility as a character witness. She tried to pick her words carefully. "I didn't say that."

"Yes or no, Miss Argyle."

Her toes curled in her shoes, and not in a good way. "Of course I'd have a problem with it. They're my friends. But—"

"So then you admit your primary concern is not justice, but that they walk out of here free men and women."

Rhiannon blinked at him. "The only thing I admit is to having some humanity and caring about my friends, sir. You ought to try it sometime."

Tristan blurted a laugh that carried over the soft murmurs and chuckles from the other participants. The judge banged his gavel for order. "Miss Argyle, please avoid the personal insults. Just answer Mr. Adam's questions to the best of your ability, so that we can get through this without a continuation."

She sighed. "I don't want my friends to go to jail, no. Especially for something they didn't really do." She added the second sentence defiantly, daring him to try and strike it from the record. He seemed satisfied enough with that, though.

"I understand the desire to have friends and family safe and sound, but laws exist for a reason, Miss Argyle. Your honor, no further questions for this witness."

When Mr. Cole announced that he too was finished questioning her, Rhiannon was given leave to return to her seat and Zevian Saber took the stand next. This time it was prosecution that went first.

"Mr. Saber, you have a sort of alliance with the Wayfarers, is that correct?"

Zevian shrugged. "More like a business arrangement, but you could see it that way." He relaxed in his chair like he owned the place.

"And I'm sure you won't attempt to tell the court that these pirates never conduct illegal activities."

Zevian grinned, cat-like. "Depends where they are and who you ask."

That drew some chuckles from Tristan's crew. The prosecuting attorney ignored it. "All right, I can give you that. What is considered illegal in your part of the world and Ocathia doesn't always align with Avran policies. However, you can't expect the audience to believe that these people have never engaged in the accused behavior inside Avran borders."

Zevian shook his head and spread his hands. "Wouldn't dream of it."

"Then why are you here, Mr. Saber? Why are you testifying on their behalf?"

"Because a friend asked me to," he answered simply, and then he pointed at the captain and crew of the Sea Lion, "and those guys were there working their asses off to get Voldus secured and help with repairs. If it had been _my_ island that fell—and it easily could have been—I'd have been damned grateful for the help."

"But this isn't about what they did for Voldus," reminded the lawyer. "It's about their crimes here on Avras."

"What crimes?" Zevian shot back. "Doing a favor for a friend? Pah...don't make me laugh."

"Mr. Saber, allow him to ask the questions, please," warned the judge. He looked at the attorney and nodded. "Please continue."

"Mr. Saber, as a foreigner I'm sure you aren't aware of just how extensive the list of past transgressions is for some of these pirates you are defending. Did you ever consider that?"

"What am I, the moral police? I'm a guild lord, man. My list is probably as big as theirs...or bigger." Zevian spread his hands again, and when the judge gave him the hairy eyeball, he cleared his throat. "No, I didn't consider that, because they're standing trial for the _one_ crime on that list they aren't guilty of committing...on purpose."

"I see. Then I'll ask you the same question I asked Miss Argyle: if they were proven guilty, would you have any objection to them doing their time as sentenced?"

"No. Prove it first, though." Zevian shrugged.

"The proof is already there in the exchange of illegal goods and money," reasoned the attorney. "The only question we need answered here today is whether it was truly an 'innocent' mistake on their part, or whether they were duped."

"Man, you cats are dumb," sighed Zevian with a shake of his head. He ignored the judge's warning and he went on. "Don't you think it's a little funny that the authorities got a phone call about it, right when it was about to go down? They were _set up_."

"There is no proof of that, Mr. Saber."

"But there's proof you're a dick," shot back the guild lord, provoking shocked gasps and some laughter.

Beside Rhiannon, Idrisar face-palmed.

"Mr. Saber!" Hollered the judge, "You may currently be operating under diplomatic immunity due to your station, but I will _not_ tolerate another outburst like that in my courtroom. One more time and I'll hold you in contempt and the rest of your visit here will be behind bars, do you understand?"

Zevian spread his hands again. "I was just saying what everyone else in here's probably thinking, your honor. I'll cool it though."

Now red-faced, the attorney was the one flustered. "No further questions for this witness, your honor."

* * *

Zevian was decidedly more amicable with Justin, when he approached him with his questions. He admitted that he didn't know Tristan or his crew beyond meeting them briefly here and there when conducting business with the Wayfarers, but he vouched for their loyalty and hard work. He was asked if he had anything else he'd like to say to the jury on the matter, and he thought about it for a moment.

"Just this: When the shit hit the fan, it wasn't the 'good Avran government' that came to help. It wasn't the Chalice law enforcement that intervened. It was a bunch of pirates...and when you pick up the body of a dead kid and the only people around you see trying to help are 'outlaws' like yourself, it makes you wonder about the morals of the so-called 'law abiding' people. Tossing the captain and crew of the Sea Lion in the slammer over some shit someone else stole and set them up for as mules won't do your society any good...and it won't be justice."

Rhiannon started to applaud, but she quickly quieted down when the judge cleared his throat.

"Thank you, Mr. Saber," said Justin. "I have no further questions. If prosecution rests, I would like to call my final witness to the stand: Mr. Idrisar Blackbird, veteran of the Valkyrie Falls Ulvari branch."

* * *

Idrisar was the very definition of calm as he politely answered the first line of questions from Defense. He cut an impressive figure in his tailored suit and silver-framed glasses...a man of class and dignity. He described the events that happened on Oricus and Voldus, and he gave his impression of the Wayfarers he'd met while there. He agreed that as an Ulvari agent, order had to be maintained and the law of the land ultimately must be enforced. He also said that he believed things weren't always black and white, and when Mr. Adams approached for questioning and decided to run with that, Agent Blackbird demonstrated how very disciplined he was—unlike his mobster companion.

"You told the defending attorney that there are shades of gray, Agent Blackbird," began Mr. Adams. "What did you mean by that?"

"Just what I said," responded the lifebearer. "If a hungry person steals bread to feed their family, one must examine the situation, rather than the crime. Leniency and mercy are the hallmark of any just legal system, sir."

"And just how lenient do you think we should be on criminals, sir?" The attorney raised a curious brow.

"As lenient as the situation dictates. Killing in self defense, for example, is not murder. Stealing food because one's hungry isn't the same as stealing money to support a drug habit." He looked over at the pirates that were on trial. "And delivering goods that one isn't aware were stolen isn't the same as stealing it oneself for the deliberate purpose of profiting."

"I suppose that logic is sound enough," granted Mr. Adams, "but there's still no proof to contradict that these pirates weren't aware of the nature of the goods they agreed to deliver. Captain Hunter was even reported to accuse the recipient of 'selling them out' when the exchange was made and the authorities made the arrest. Tell me, if he wasn't aware that the merchandise he was trading was stolen, why would he say such a thing?"

"Possibly because strangers leaped out of the shadows and drew firearms on them," reasoned Idrisar, "I find it reasonable that his first reaction was to believe their rivals had ambushed them."

"Even if they'd neglected to do that in the beginning, when an officer of the law instructs you to drop your weapon and freeze, you should do so immediately." Mr. Adams walked back and forth before the stand. "Wouldn't you agree, Agent Blackbird?"

"Of course; if the officer in question properly identifies himself as required by protocol." Idrisar frowned a bit, looking thoughtful. "Interesting. It was the testimony of the captain and crew that none of the officers on the scene produced any identification or announced themselves, when they drew on them. I assume they at least had a warrant for a search and seizure. This case already sounds suspiciously like entrapment, as it is."

When the attorney hesitated and glanced at the judge, Idrisar looked at the investigative officer that was attending. The mood suddenly shifted as the Ulvari agent noticed the uncertain look on the man's face, and a bare hint of a smirk curved his lips.

"Tell me they at least had a warrant, sir. Otherwise it was an _illegal_ search and seizure and by the Avran law enforcement code 'J-926', the defendants can't be prosecuted."

The courtroom became so quiet that you could have heard a pin drop on the floor.

* * *

-To be continued


End file.
